Grayhawk Beach

Coaches Bios

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Mike Hawkins

Jamie Walsh

Katie Sarber

Dave Potocki Sr.

Bobby Schwartzkopf

David Nobrega

Josh Roper

Club Director Mike Hawkins started coaching in 2012 with the goal of teaching daughter Alyssa and all her friends the game of volleyball. Starting with City of Scottsdale league, then AGAF @ Boys and Girls Club in Grayhawk, then started Grayhawk Beach with coach David Potocki Sr. officially in 2013. Playing indoor and beach since the late 80's, volleyball is nothing short of a lifelong passion. Mike still plays masters events at Seaside Oregon, Motherlode Classic in Aspen, and indoor USA Adult Nationals and Senior games. Coach Mike earned his BCAP-I Certification in 2017 in Gulf Shores, AL and is continuously learning and surrounding club with best coaching staff in AZ.

Mike graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and currently works in the Aerospace industry developing Software/Systems for business/commercial jet flight decks and turbine engine controllers. With his industry profession and love of beach volleyball, Mike knows that academics and high level education is priority 1 and the importance of the academic/athletic balance.

Over the last 5 years Grayhawk Beach has grown attracting the best coaches and converting more and more players from indoor to beach. We continue to increase our field of competitive teams locally and California tournaments. Whether just beginning or playing at highest-level, Mike knows this business is more than just volleyball. Focus on skills development, confidence, self-esteem, and that competitive spirit both on the court and in real life. Mike is also the co-founder of Scottsdale BeachFest, an indoor beach volleyball tournament.

Coach Jamie has had a passion for beach volleyball since she was 11. Growing up on the sands of Pismo beach, before college beach volleyball exploded, she did whatever she could to find four people to play with every weekend.

She helped high school beach volleyball get started in California and was able to compete and become a Riviera league champion her senior year of high school. Thanks to Andrew Bennett of Tamarack Volleyball Club, Jamie toured UCLA, Stetson and TCU. She competed for her first two years of college at the 5 seed at Stetson, and later transferred and found her home at Grand Canyon University in Arizona where she finished her degree while bouncing between the 4 and 5 seed for the remaining two years of her eligibility.

Coach Jamie now dedicates her days working in the mortgage industry with Nova Home Loans. After she finishes her day job, she helps with Grayhawk operations and coaching, is the Head Coach for Notre Dame Prep High School’s Beach Volleyball Program, Assistant for the indoor team, and helps run the BVCA in Hermosa. She likes to spend her free time traveling to new places, hiking, taking photos, and making the world a better place by getting to know people and sharing their talents!

Qualifications:

4 Year Division I Beach Volleyball Athlete
Concussions in Sport Certified
SafeSport Certified
NFHS Fundamental of Coaching Certified
Indoor Varsity Assistant Coach at ALA Ironwood
Head Coach for Beach Volleyball at Notre Dame Prep
Scottsdale BeachFest Business Development
Grayhawk Operations Manager
High School - 4 year Indoor player
Extensive Coaching Experience in both indoor and sand - private and group settings
BVCA National Championships Social Media Director

Coach Katie’s passion for beach volleyball started in 9th grade when her club indoor coach took the team out to the sand for the day to practice. She grew up mostly in Florida where her beach game began and never looked back. She dedicated all her time to beach after her Sophmore year and never looked back.

Katie has coached with Bevolley and quicksand as well as assisted at GCU’s camps! Thanks to Bevolley, optimum, and Quicksand along Raquel, LT, and Pri she was able to pursue her degree and beach career at GCU under head coach Kristen Rohr and assistant coach Joe Rich. Coach Katie played at GCU’s 3 seed this past season!

Katie is a senior at GCU and will be adding a minor in psychology to her bachelors in exercise science she received in 3 years! Katie likes to spend her free time working with kids, playing with dogs, and spending time with friends and family!

Dave Potocki Sr. joined Coach Mike early in the Spring of 2015 to help coach our 14s and 12s group. Dave’s coaching experience and infusion of energy and drills gave our program a great boost. Dave grew up in Laguna Niguel, CA and has competed at highest open level in the AVA and AOVA back in the 80’s and continues to play and loves to give back to the kids! Dave’s son Dave Potocki Jr. is a product of his father’s coaching dedication and passion.

Robert “Bobby” Schwarzkopf has played sand ball for 15 years now and competed in open sand for several years with his highest finish being a third in open. Bobby is USAVB Beach IMPACT Certified and the shortest player in the state to be competing at this level with Dave Potocki Jr. being a close second. His pinnacle of volleyball was when his high school team won the state championships at Deer Valley High School in Glendale (Coach Hawkins alma mater). He was named the ‘best defensive player of Arizona’ and All-State first team my junior and senior years but chose to pursue soccer in college. Check out his video on YouTube

Coach David stared his volleyball journey at age 12 playing on the sand and self teaching himself. He then moved to indoor where he played all 4 years in high school and then on to The University of Arizona. In high school he was part of the state championship team and while at The U of A won the NIRSA National Championship division 3. He also participated in AZ Region and US Nationals AA division. Winning 3 AZ Region championships and 1 silver medal at US Nationals.

He was the Head Coach for the University of Arizona Men and Women's club teams. He lead the mens team to a 5th place finish at Nationals and lead the women to a 2nd place finish. He also spent 4 years coaching for Club Cactus in Tucson.

After indoor, he moved back to the sand and over the last 10 years competes regularly. Through out his professional career, as an engineer, he has been blessed to travel the world. While working in Australia he joined Parklands Beach Volleyball club where he was a club champion. He has extensive coaching experience in private and group settings. David also earned USA Volleyball CAP1 certification. (Coaching Accreditation Program) and has 2021/2022 SafeSport certification.

Coach Josh has been playing beach volleyball since he was just 12 years old. A south Texas native, he grew up playing beach volleyball on the coast. As he began to get more serious about the sport, he traveled to Austin, Texas, where he played for Austin Juniors indoor and continued playing beach elsewhere.

During his indoor career he was selected for the Texas High Performance Team on the national level. Though his indoor career was rewarding, he decided to attend Grand Canyon University to fully focus on his beach game and be on staff for the top 10 nationally ranked program. Through his hard work and dedication to the sport he was nominated and selected for the 2022 USA Collegiate National Team, representing the country’s top 16 college beach athletes. He has not only had the opportunity to be coached by the best, but also coach alongside the best. Kristen Rohr, head coach at GCU was the 2022 AVCA Coach of the Year and has been working with Josh for the past three years.

Though Roper’s knowledge of the game is extensive, his coaching skills have also been a priority, leading Rancho Solano Preparatory most rewarding season yet and working alongside GCU to get to their second national championship tournament appearance this past season. He looks forward to the skills he has to offer to Grayhawk Beach this summer and loves to work with highly motivated, young athletes!

Qualifications:

3 years with the Grand Canyon University beach volleyball
Rancho Solano Preparatory Assistant Coach
SafeSport Certified
CPR Certified
USA Beach Collegiate National Team
Private and group training experience
Multiple years of club coaching experience