Sunshine Neville

Coach Sunshine was a multi-sport athlete in high school, competing in volleyball, basketball, and softball. She continued her athletic career in college, playing both basketball and softball. She strongly supports multi-sport athletes, believing that participation in different sports helps players become more well-rounded while reducing burnout.

She brings 13 years of volleyball coaching experience, beginning with Goodyear Recreation and continuing with two other West Valley clubs before joining OVA. She also coached for three years at Desert Edge High School before transferring to Verrado High School. In addition to coaching, she is the physical education teacher at Trinity Lutheran School and brings 27 years of teaching experience to her work with athletes.

Coach Sunshine is passionate about developing young women into leaders on and off the court. She looks for athletes who want to work hard, learn at a high level, compete, and be great teammates. Her goal is to help every player develop a next-level mindset and put it into action on the court. Her guiding message is: “Play for the person on either side of you, and as a result, you will become a better player.”

She emphasizes the little things: strong fundamentals, volleyball IQ, accountability, and work ethic. Above all, she expects her athletes to be good teammates and helps them develop leadership skills they can carry into future teams and other areas of life.

Outside the gym, Coach Sunshine enjoys hiking, fishing, spending time outdoors with her family, and competing in everything from sports to cards and ping-pong. She also enjoys creative activities. She and her husband, Trent, have three adult children—Payson, Weston, and Kensie—and have enjoyed coaching them throughout their lives.