A month after giving birth, she becomes LCA volleyball coach

Lindsey Christian gave birth three months ago, so – naturally – she volunteered to coach LCA’s girls’ volleyball team.

“I loved volleyball,” said the 2002 LCA graduate. “I felt like it was time to give back.”

Time to give back? Right after having her first baby?

“I saw my mom (AD Pam Sommer) looking everywhere for a coach. I was on maternity leave, so I had the most free time I’ve ever had. I realized I could do it,” Lindsey said. “Okay, so maybe I’m a little bit crazy.”

So Grandma Pam baby-sits little Dash Ryder (no kidding, that’s the name), while Lindsey dashes off to volleyball practice and doesn’t give the girls a free ride (sorry, too hard to resist, even if they are poor puns).

At a recent game, Grandma Pam held a sleeping Dash asleep in her arms, out of the gym where too much screaming was going on, while Mom, Coach Lindsey was barking orders at high school girls fighting to stay in the game against Pacific Hills. Ultimately, the Saints lost.

Lighthouse Christian Academy doesn’t have the strongest of teams this year because it’s composed of the mostly beginners. One of our strongest players, Milan Morino, tore her ACL at the first game during warmup.

Lindsey’s senior year of volleyball was a strong year. The varsity team placed runner-up in the CIF Southern Section.

In 2012, LCA volleyball made a strong run in playoffs under the leadership of Lindsey’s youngest sister, Kate Sommer, a club phenom who now plays Div. 1 volleyball for Washington State University.

While this year’s squad is not the most competitive, it is the biggest team Lighthouse has ever mustered – with 16 girls.

“We’ve got girls from all over the world,” Lindsey said. “We have a girl from China, from German, even one from Sierra Leone. The team is amazing. You can’t even tell we’re losing because they cheer throughout.”

So far, LCA has yet to win a match.

Volleyball appears to be a family affair for the Sommers. Lindsey’s oldest sister, Lauren, was coach for seven years. Her other sister, Stephanie, coached a season.

Now, Lindsey is hoping her 3-month-old will take to the sport. (Her siblings total five.)

“I would love it if he played volleyball,” Lindsey said. “Hopefully the early exposure will help.”

He’ll keep coming to games. But if he’s to learn the sport, he’ll need to get out of Grandma’s arms and pay attention to the spikes.