Tonya Kern-Honea

Coach Kern-Honea is excited about being involved with the Saint Augustine Volleyball community.

With more than 45 years of experience as a teacher and volleyball coach, Coach Kern- Honea has dedicated her life to helping young people grow as athletes, students, teammates, and individuals.  Her passion for coaching has always gone beyond the game itself. She believes volleyball provides a unique opportunity to teach lessons that will last a lifetime.  She grew up on a dairy farm in southern Illinois where she learned so much about life in general but her coaching journey has included high school volleyball in Illinois, Georgia, and Florida.

At the 14-and-under club level, she  believes everything begins with the fundamentals. Developing proper technique, understanding the game, communicating effectively, and learning to work together are essential building blocks for future success. Coach Kern-Honea’s goal is to help each player improve, gain confidence, and develop a genuine love for the game while learning the importance of discipline, effort, accountability, and perseverance.

Throughout her coaching career, she has been fortunate to see many of her former players continue their volleyball journeys at the collegiate level, including Division I programs. She is incredibly proud of their accomplishments. However, one of the greatest rewards of coaching has been the relationships that have continued long after their playing days ended. Many of her former players have become personal friends whom she loves dearly. Those lasting connections remind her that the impact of coaching reaches far beyond wins, losses, and athletic achievements.

As both an educator and a coach, Coach Kern-Honea understands that every young athlete develops differently. She strives to create an environment where players are encouraged to learn, challenged to improve, supported through mistakes, and taught to believe in themselves and one another.

After more than four decades of teaching and coaching,  Coach Kern-Honea purpose remains simple: teach the fundamentals, develop the player, build character, and create relationships that last a lifetime.  Winning matches is rewarding, but helping young people become confident, responsible adults and knowing that the relationships we build will endure is the true measure of success.