At the start of the fall sports season, the Sidwell girls varsity volleyball team welcomed new coach Sareea Freeman. According to an interview with Freeman, she chose to come to Sidwell “because of its excellent reputation and its dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive community.”
She added that Sidwell’s values of personal and mental growth within the athletic department resonate with her own values.
Freeman’s volleyball career lasted nine years, with her position being an opposite hitter. Originally from San Jose, Calif., Freeman moved to Florida to continue playing at Florida State University. She played for FSU from 2009-2012, and during her time with the team, she earned the title of AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.
In August 2021, Freeman joined Howard University’s women’s volleyball program as an assistant coach, her first coaching position. Freeman explained that her choice to start coaching volleyball was because of her “deep passion and commitment to helping student-athletes grow — not just in their skills, but in their confidence, leadership and perseverance.”
She aims to be a role model for players and has many goals for herself as a coach, some being not only a strong coach “but more importantly, a great role model and person.” Freeman also expressed how she has taught many life skills through volleyball that will aid players beyond the court.
Freeman highlighted seven main ideals of her volleyball philosophy: teamwork, accountability, sportsmanship, trust, resilience, hard work pays off and respect. Freeman explained that the Sidwell volleyball program is built off these seven values to guide the team in how they play and who they are as a team.
“We believe in the power of teamwork, where every player’s contribution matters, and accountability, holding ourselves and each other to high standards both on and off the court,” she said. “Sportsmanship is central to our approach, as we play with integrity, respect our opponents and handle both wins and losses with grace.”
Freeman also mentioned the importance of trust within a team. “A team built on trust thrives, so we foster open communication and rely on each other to create a supportive environment.”
When faced with challenges, Freeman said that the team “embraces challenges with resilience, viewing setbacks as opportunities to grow and come back stronger. Hard work pays off in the pursuit of excellence, and we are committed to continuous improvement, always striving to reach our goals and take pride in our progress.”
However, for Freeman the most important team characteristic is respect for everyone, as respect “shap[es] the way we conduct ourselves on and off the court.”
Freeman expressed excitement about the school and how the volleyball program is progressing so far. She has been impressed by the students’ motivation and the potential for growth within the Sidwell volleyball program.
Her favorite part of the team thus far has been the “enthusiasm and dedication of the players. Their energy and commitment to practices and games are truly inspiring.”
Though the season only just began, Freeman also expressed some areas of improvement in the team. She said that the team “need[s] to work on maintaining focus and executing our strategies effectively, especially in high-stakes moments.” Freeman added that “improving communication and teamwork on the court will help us to perform more cohesively.”
So far, Freeman has focused on helping the team “adapt to new coaches, strategies and learning a lot quickly.” She clarified that even though the team has struggled, they were able to work through the complications by “staying positive and supportive of each other.” She also emphasized that the early season challenges were a “valuable part of [the team’s] growth, and it has strengthened [their] resilience and teamwork.”
Freeman described the season’s performance as showing “great potential” and “has made significant strides in both individual skills and team cohesion.” She believes that the team is “just getting started.”
