Club Director
John Edmondson brings nine years of coaching experience at the junior high and high school levels to Mid State Volleyball Academy. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for the 2025 High School Girls TSIAA State Championship Team.
In 2023, John co-founded Nashville Volleyball Club alongside partner Joel Olson, and has served as Club Director and coach for the past 3 years, helping build the program from the ground up. A former college athlete, John played for three years on the University of Georgia men’s club volleyball team as a middle hitter and setter.
Before transitioning into education and coaching, John spent over 20 years as a professional chef. This background shaped his discipline, attention to detail and team-first mentality.
Director of Coaches
Joel Olson brings 10 seasons of variety high school coaching experience and 3 years of club coaching to Mid State Volleyball Academy’s Director of Coaches role. He built the volleyball program at his high school from the ground up, leading it to a TSIAA State Championship in 2025 and a runner-up finish in 2024 – a trajectory that reflects a coach as invested in building a program as he is in winning games.
For the past decade, Joel has pursued a deep, ongoing study of ecological dynamics and the constraints-led approach to skill acquisition, alongside a broader curiosity about the psychology of performance and learning. That research shapes everything he does on the court: rather than drilling athletes into compliance, he designs environments that force players to problem-solve, adapt, and think the game for themselves. The goal isn’t just technical proficiency – it’s volleyball IQ and the kind of adaptability that holds up under pressure, in a big match or in life.
At the heart of his philosophy is a simple belief: he coaches athletes, not just volleyball players. Every kid walks in with a different set of challenges and abilities, and developing the whole person – not just the skill set – is the job. As Director of Coaches at Mid State Volleyball Academy, Joe has carried that belief beyond his own team, working to help fellow coaches move past outdated, harmful mindsets that put the coach at the center of the program. In his view, coaches are there to serve, support, and build up their athletes – creating the conditions for success that extend well beyond the sport itself.
Director of Player and Coach Development
Club (23 years experience)
Youth Academy Lead – MN Select VBC
Youth Director – Northern Lights Juniors
Tournament and Facilities Director- Alliance VBC
- Heartland North VBC, MN- 2003, 2004
- Minnesota One VBC, MN- 2005 – 2008
- MN Select VBC, MN- 2009- 2017
- Northern Lights Juniors, MN, 2017- 2022
- Alliance VBC, TN, 2022-2026
High School (12 years experience)
- Elk River High School, MN, 2006- 2012
- Wayzata High School, MN, 2013- 2017
- Centennial High School, TN, 2022- 2023
Special Credentials:
- CAP level I, II,& III certified- USAV (Coaches Accreditation Program, USA Volleyball)
- Served 5 years as assistant coach for USAV High Performance Training Program
- Active member of the AVCA- (American Volleyball Coaches Association)
