andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com

Topping off a season that took Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s girls’ volleyball team to the state tournament, a #5 state ranking to finish the year, and a 21-8 overall record, head coach Shane A. Foster was named Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS) Coach of the Year last week.

Keeping the top conference honors in the family, Foster’s daughter, Minka was named TCIS Most Valuable Player of the Year.

In addition to that recognition, Minka, a sophomore outside hitter, was named to the Virginia Independent Schools Div. 2 All-State Team.

&uot;It is intensely great to have any player make the first or second TCIS team, but when it’s your own child, it’s all the more significant,&uot; said Shane Foster.

&uot;I am extremely proud of her.&uot;

Foster, who is also Nansemond-Suffolk’s Head of School, was an outstanding athlete, a decathlete, in his native Australia.

The educational lessons that can be learned through athletics and competition are important to Foster.

&uot;People always ask me how I can wear both hats,&uot; he said.

&uot;How could I not?

The students are the reason I wanted to get into the field of education in the first place.

Coaching keeps me connected to them.

It is truly what I love to do.&uot;

About her coach’s, and father’s, all-conference award, Minka said, &uot;I’m happy for him because he works really hard.

He really deserves this honor.&uot;