Inspiring Conversations with Miguel Monterola of Orange Coast Volleyball Club

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miguel Monterola.

Hi Miguel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It’s funny how one small decision can completely change the direction of your life. For me, that decision was agreeing to try out for a sport I had absolutely no interest in playing.

I was 15 years old, attending Coral Park High School in Miami, Florida, and basketball and soccer were my sports. Volleyball wasn’t even on my radar. One of my teachers had suggested I give it a try, but it was my best friend, Willie, who finally convinced me. He spent an entire week talking me into going to tryouts.

The funny part? I made varsity my first year, and Willie didn’t.

Neither of us could have imagined that one reluctant decision would eventually lead me across the country, into a career I never planned, and to building a volleyball club that would become my life’s work.

What made me fall in love with the sport wasn’t just the competition. It was the friendships, the coaches who became lifelong mentors, and the teamwork. While still in high school, I started coaching kids ages 12 and under. I had no idea what I was doing, but teaching the fundamentals actually made me a better player. Without realizing it, I was discovering my future.

After graduating in 1997, I continued playing volleyball in Florida and coaching through a City of Miami youth program called Miami Love. A friend named Alex Torres, who had played at Ohio State, encouraged me to pursue college volleyball in California.

In September 1999, I moved to San Diego with plans to play at San Diego State. Within a week of arriving, the university eliminated its men’s volleyball program. Suddenly, the reason I’d moved across the country was gone.

But I stayed.

I played at San Diego Mesa College, then Irvine Valley College, and eventually received a scholarship to California Baptist University. Throughout those years, I continued coaching whenever I could.

In 2002, while attending college, I started Orange Coast Volleyball Club with a friend. The idea came after spending a summer coaching for another organization and thinking, “If this guy can do it, I can definitely do it better.”

I never imagined it would become my career. I was working full-time as a sales representative for DHL and coaching in the evenings. I thought the club might just be a side job doing something I loved.

Then, in our very first year, our 14 Open team won a national gold medal and became the number-one team in the country in its division. That changed everything.

We started with two teams and grew to approximately 15 or 16 within four years. We didn’t have our own facility, so we often practiced from 8 to 10 at night, working around other clubs’ schedules. Despite those challenges, we continued winning national championships and developing athletes who went on to play at the collegiate, professional, and Olympic levels.

One of our early standouts was Taylor Sander, who went on to BYU and earned an Olympic bronze medal with Team USA in 2016. More recently, Andrew Rowan went on to UCLA, won two national championships, and joined the U.S. national team.

But my greatest pride isn’t the championships. It’s the relationships.

Many of our coaches today are former players I coached as kids. Some of those players are now bringing their own children into our program. Watching those relationships come full circle is one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

A huge part of this journey was my longtime business partner and friend, Jim Kearny. We worked together for over 20 years, and if I had to describe our partnership in one word, it would be trust. Jim always had my back, and he helped shape both the club and the person I became. Losing him to lung cancer was incredibly difficult, and things will never be quite the same without him.

Life has brought other challenges as well. In 2023, I underwent spinal cord surgery that significantly affected my mobility. I went from coaching on my feet to coaching while seated, and I’ve spent the past few years working toward regaining my physical abilities. It’s been a difficult adjustment, but my passion for coaching hasn’t changed.

Today, Orange Coast Volleyball Club has grown to more than 350 athletes, approximately 30 traveling teams, and 31 coaches. We’ve expanded to include girls’ volleyball and now operate out of an eight-court facility in South Orange County.

Yet after all these years, my favorite part of coaching is still working with 13-year-olds who are just learning the game. Watching a young athlete develop from a beginner into a confident player is the ultimate reward.

I believe it takes a village to develop young people. Not everyone needs to become a Division I athlete or an Olympian. My goal is to provide a safe place where kids can build friendships, develop confidence, and discover something they love.

Outside of volleyball, food is my other great passion. My mom owned restaurants when I was growing up, and I always thought I’d become a chef or restaurant owner. My dad was a lawyer, but the kitchen interested me much more than law school! I also love traveling, discovering new foods, and playing Monopoly.

One of the most influential people in my life was my uncle Carlos. Growing up, he stepped into a role he didn’t have to take on, helping guide me and shape the person I am today. I’ve also been fortunate to have coaches and mentors who believed in me and invested their time in my development. Looking back, I realize how much those relationships shaped my life, and I hope to have that same positive influence on the young athletes I coach.

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give someone starting their own business, it’s simple: just do it. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or create obstacles before you’ve even begun. Some of the best opportunities in life come from taking a chance and figuring things out along the way.

Looking back, that’s exactly what I did. At 23, I had no idea where this journey would take me, and if I could go back, I honestly wouldn’t tell that younger version of myself much. Every challenge, every mistake, and every unexpected turn was part of getting me to where I am today.

And to think, it all started with a 15-year-old kid in Miami who didn’t even want to play volleyball.

More than two decades later, I’m still doing something I love. I’ve been fortunate to coach incredible athletes, build lifelong friendships, and create something much bigger than I ever imagined.

And the best part? Every season, a new group of kids walks into our gym, and I get to do it all over again.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

PS Thanks Doc

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.team-ocvc.com
• Instagram: @teamocvc
• Facebook: @teamocvc