Momentum One Volleyball Academy Coaches are IMPACT Certified (The Increased Mastery and Professional Application of Coaching Theory) and SafeSport Core Training Certified, which is required through the United States Volleyball (USAV) and the Puget Sound Region Volleyball (PSR) of all Coaches and Directors.
Christine Grunch-Halberg first found her passion for volleyball when she was in 5th grade. She graduated in 1987 from Coeur d’Alene High School when her volleyball team placed 3rd at the state tournament. She then played one year for North Idaho College where she led the region in multiple defensive categories.
She continued her athletic career at New Mexico State University playing fastpitch for four years. Volleyball continued to stay in her life and after graduating, she discovered coaching through her sister’s high school volleyball team in Michigan in 1994. Since then she has put in over 20 years of coaching girls volleyball at all levels: JV, Varsity, K-8 camps and leagues, and club U12 - U18.
She has gone to many coaches conferences and taken her teams to many college camps where she has learned a variety of ways to help athletes be successful with mechanics, team relationship and unity and competition. The most important thing she has learned is that there are a lot of ways to teach the game and play the game, but the one ingredient that cannot be left out of the game is MOMENTUM!
She believes that if players want to play volleyball and be successful, they not only have to love the game, but find a way to show their passion through their energy, celebrating not just every point, but every great play on the court. Volleyball is played with 6 teammates on a small 30 x 30 court and creating a positive and energetic space will always be hard to beat.
Elizabeth started her volleyball career in middle school, where she later on went to compete in Club volleyball and High School volleyball. Earning the responsibility of Captain, as well as MVP and All League Honorable Mention awards. She graduated from Linfield College in Oregon, and now works at Olympic Medical Center as a Cardiac Device Specialist. She coached her first season of club volleyball while in Oregon, until COVID ended her season short. Elizabeth is excited to coach again, and especially in her hometown.
Dr. Eric Palenik, PT, DPT has a lifelong love for volleyball and has played competitive sand and indoor volleyball for over 25 years progressing up to the USAV A level. He participated and was a team captain in multiple A level regional championships as a member of the USAV Ohio Valley Region. He has played every position on the court but specializes in passing/defense. He has trained athletes as a Physical Therapist ranging from youth to professionals in various sports including over 10 years working directly with Peninsula College Athletics on injury prevention, teaching proper movement patterns and injury treatment. His coaching experience includes multiple youth sports such as high school baseball, Little League baseball, youth basketball, along with teaching proper movement patterns and injury prevention strategies as a consultant with college, club and high school soccer, basketball, and volleyball to name a few. He really enjoys working with youth, instilling a love for athletics, and developing character.
Merissa Koller Williams coached volleyball most recently for Washington Elite Volleyball Club with the regional team in Port Angeles, Washington, before coming to Momentum One Volleyball Academy. Prior to that, she coached high school volleyball in Kodiak Island, Alaska. She has also spent a number of years coaching 14’s, 16’s and 17’s club teams.
Merissa has over 15 years of playing experience including four years at Owatonna High School and four years with the Tonna Spikers Volleyball Club in Minnesota. She helped launch the University of Minnesota-Duluth Volleyball Club, which is where she began her coaching career.
Merissa’s coaching philosophy is “Work hard and be kind”. She believes in coaching an athlete in a holistic sense, helping athlete’s become a solid teammate and be the best volleyball player they can be.
Merissa originally hails from the state of Minnesota and moved to Port Angeles in June 2018 after spending a number of years in Kodiak, Alaska. She is a co-founder of the Momentum One Volleyball Academy.
