Susan Odenbaugh
Lewis-Pamer High School
Impact Statement
“Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs.” -Susan Odenbaugh
Biography
Susan Odenbaugh led Lewis-Palmer to its second straight Colorado 4A state title during the 2014-15 season, plus her team was named national champions by MaxPreps.
Odenbaugh, who has been the school’s head coach since 2002, guided her team to a 29-0 record in a season that saw the team only drop five sets. Lewis-Palmer has now won 35 straight matches and 46 of its last 47 matches.
Coach Odenbaugh is the first coach from Colorado to be named NHSCA National Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Odenbaugh coached Lewis-Palmer for another two years before she stepped down in 2017. She is still teaching and working with the InSideOut Initiative and the CHSAA’s Positive Coaching Alliance. As she previously said “Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs. Winning should be a byproduct of the commitment to that development.”
She was also honored with the 2017 Dave Sanders Colorado Coach Award. According to the Denver Post, the award is given in conjunction with the Sanders family to recognize a high school coach who not only has a longevity and success in teaching and coaching but has outstanding character. This award is named after Sanders who saved many students before dying at Columbine High School during the 1999 shooting.
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