Family over everything — A phrase that is plastered all over LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory’s office. To Flory, her athletes are much more than just her way to a national championship ring — they are her life.
This season, Flory is celebrating 22 years as the head coach of the Tigers. A job she describes as her dream job since she got into coaching. Flory said those 22 years have taught her more about life and herself than she could have imagined.
Flory, the winningest coach in program history, has led the Tigers to nine NCAA Tournament berths in the last 14 seasons.
Under Flory, the Tigers have averaged 19 wins per season since 2005, including the 2009 Southeastern Conference championship.
She has coached 12 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-South Region First-Team picks which include a pair of AVCA All-Americans from 2007-09 and again in 2017.
Flory was hailed as the 2009 Southeastern Conference and AVCA South Region Coach of the Year.
“It is more than just about winning,” Flory said. “Yes, winning is important, but it is about molding these girls into young women who will go out and succeed in their career and in life.”
Looking back on her time with the Tigers, Flory recalled the a moment that defined how she viewed coaching during her first season with the Tigers.
They were playing a tough Auburn team, and LSU had been struggling in past matches. LSU played well against Auburn, but ended up falling short in four sets.
Flory recalled being upset as she felt they should have won. They had every chance to win but did not.
Going back into the locker room, she said she heard a lot of the girls celebrating and excited. Taken back by the celebration, Flory asked the girls why they were so happy. Their answer has stayed with her for life.
The girls said that they lost the match but they won a set — something they had not done in SEC play in over a year.
“I learned from that day that you can’t take things for granted in coaching,” Flory said. “You have to know every piece and play and every mentality of every person. You have to figure out how to melt that together to have everyone driving in the same direction.”
“It made me much broader and opened my vision,” Florsy said. “It’s not just the drive, it’s what kids have to overcome to have the drive.”
While Flory’s relationship with her players is everything, having a strong relationship with her fellow coaches is just as important.
Assistant coach Sarah Rumely feels that Flory gives so much more of herself than other coaches, making her a unique and special coach. Rumely said Flory cares about her players personal well-being just much, if not more, as she does about them as players.
“She is always studying and trying to make her girls get better at even the smallest of things,” Rumely said. “She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She is so passionate about so many different things. She also has this unbelievable way of connecting with everyone and making everyone she comes into contact with feel so special.”
While Flory’s ultimate goal is to win a national championship, something no female coach has ever done in the history of collegiate volleyball, the more important goal for Flory is to reach her kids and to teach them something of value.
Success to Flory is making a positive change in her player’s lives. Flory said she wants her legacy at LSU to be known as someone who cared and made a difference.
“I pride myself on making all of my teams a family,” Flory said. “And to me, family is everything.”