Darrin Matthies

Darrin Matthies brings decades of volleyball experience to FVP’s Boys 17/18 Regional team. Originally from Kiel and now living in Kaukauna, Darrin grew up playing beach, grass, and hardcourt volleyball throughout Wisconsin. A setter and right-side hitter, he competed in tournaments across the state, including Walleye Weekend, Cato Days, Badger State Games, Bradford Beach, AVA tournaments, and the Waupaca Boatride, back when FVP Club Director Jason Wheelock was playing, too.

Darrin’s coaching career began in the mid-1990s when he realized that learning to coach could also make him a better player. His first opportunities came from Carolyn Piantek and Matt Schoultz, and coaching quickly became a major part of his life. He started as the girls assistant varsity coach at Hortonville before spending a season with the Appleton East boys program. He went on to spend six years as head JV and assistant varsity coach at Xavier, where one of his highlights was making a trip to State.

Darrin later spent 10 seasons as an assistant women’s volleyball coach at Lawrence University before joining his wife, Jodi, to lead the Kaukauna volleyball program. He has also coached club volleyball since 2000, working with athletes from 12U through 18U. Along the way, volleyball introduced him to his wife, gave him the opportunity to help launch a local club, connected him with countless coaches and athletes, and eventually became a sport all three of his children would love as well.

What Darrin enjoys most about coaching are the “aha” moments, both for his athletes and himself. He believes many of the lessons learned through athletics translate directly to life: work ethic, commitment, time management, leadership, handling adversity, working outside your comfort zone, and competing with respect, integrity, and confidence. His philosophy can ultimately be summed up in three words: WE > ME.

Darrin also encourages athletes to embrace the discomfort that comes with improvement. Changing a skill can sometimes mean getting worse before getting better, which is why he emphasizes focusing on the process rather than the immediate result. Fix the process, and the results will follow.

What excites Darrin most about FVP is the people and the investment coaches, athletes, and families make in one another and their shared goals. This season, he is especially looking forward to experiencing a different speed and level of play with the Boys 17/18 Regional team.

Outside of volleyball, Darrin is a Lead Manufacturing Engineer at Creative Metal Products in Neenah. Most of his free time still revolves around sports, whether he is coaching, watching volleyball, or cheering on his kids in softball and baseball. He and his wife Jodi have three children, Brenna, Caleb, and Micha.