photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State assistant coach Joel Grillot (center) pumps up his team before a road match at Shawnee Mission East on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, in Prairie Village.

Joel Grillot has been an assistant coach for every Free State volleyball coach, including the last seven years with coach Jayme Savage.

So when the position became available after Savage stepped down to become an assistant principal, Grillot was ready for the opportunity.

“Whatever opportunities that (coaching) provided me, I’d always take them and see where they fell,” Grillot said. “When this opened up, I was like, ‘OK, let’s give this a shot.’ I’ve never been a head coach before, and I wanted to give it a shot and see if I had what it took to run a program.”

It helps that the job opened up at Free State, where Grillot has roots. Grillot said he “bleeds green and silver,” and that he’s proud of what the program has become under his and Savage’s direction.

Grillot and Savage share a passion for developing students, and that was one of the cornerstones of Free State’s program. As the head coach now, Grillot is making sure that the development of the student athletes remains a top priority for the program.

“I feel like if you spend even five minutes around me while I’m doing my thing in the gym, you know how much I care about this program and the girls and seeing them be successful both on the court and beyond,” Grillot said.

A benefit to Grillot taking over is that the team can pick up where they left off with Grillot coaching them over the summer. He doesn’t have to get to know the players, and they don’t have to get to know a new coach with new standards. The Firebirds can largely keep their momentum going to the season.

Some things will be different — Grillot said he’s a bit of a more eccentric coach than Savage on the sidelines. But in Grillot’s seven years as an assistant coach, he has already held a position of high influence on the team, so his influence on the Firebirds is already present.

A coaching change always brings some level of uncertainty, and the Firebirds felt that this summer. But with Grillot officially in charge, that uncertainty can subside.

“I got a few hugs and congratulations from some girls that weren’t here when I told the team, and so there’s definitely some excitement,” Grillot said. “But there was more just that relief that we finally understand what’s happening and we can move forward.”

The Firebirds can now focus on the task at hand: getting back to the state tournament like they did in 2025. It’ll be a challenge after Free State graduated nine seniors from last season, but the team has key starters in multiple positions that are returning. Even with the turnover, Grillot said he believes the team will continue to compete.

“That’s always been the fun part of the job is figuring out you know with the pieces you have and then with the new pieces coming up,” Grillot said. “It’s always trying to find ways for the old puzzle pieces to fit with the new puzzle pieces, and then hopefully find a way to make that gel, so that we’re gelling at the right time.”