Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Sonya Locke and Saluki Volleyball Go Hand-In-Hand
09/18/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 18, 2003
By Seth Whitehead
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Some things in Carbondale just seem to go hand-in-hand. "The Strip" and "Winston the Bagel Man." Faner Hall and confused, lost students. Quatro's Deep Pan Pizza and the radio jingle "5-4-9-5-3-2-6."
Can you imagine one of these things without the other?
It just wouldn't be right.
It may be time to add Sonya Locke and the Southern Illinois University volleyball program to that list.
Locke has been a part of SIU Volleyball as either a player, assistant coach or head coach for 23 of the last 24 years.
Locke started her Saluki career as a player from 1978 until 1982. During her playing days, she became the first and only Saluki netter since to be named an All-American, while leading a team that averaged 23 wins a season during her four years.
She then joined the Saluki coaching staff in 1983 as a graduate assistant, after completing her bachelor's degree.
A year later, Locke was hired as then-head coach Debbie Hunter's assistant, a position she held until 1989, when she took her first head coaching job at Kankakee Community College.
It didn't take long for Locke to return to the maroon and white, however. After leading KCC to a 35-win season, she was brought back to Carbondale in 1991 to take over as the fifth head volleyball coach in school history.
The decision to come back was a no-brainer.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to work and continue to put your pride into a program that you expended blood, sweat and tears for as a player,'' said Locke, "I just see that as a keen opportunity to do something you love to do."
Locke recently began her 13th season as the Salukis' head coach, the second-longest tenure as a head coach in the SIU athletic department.
"I just feel like I'm very blessed to be here,'' Locke said. " I feel it was an opportunity that came back that I never expected to come back my way as soon as it did when I left here. The right doors just kept opening.''
Oddly enough, becoming SIU's head coach -- or a coach at all for that matter -- was not always Locke's goal. She could have very easily ended up in a completely different profession. Locke said she was more interested in getting into the advertising business during her first three years of college.
"That was not a goal of mine,'' Locke said of coaching. "I really liked the idea of being in advertising and marketing, because I like the creative side of the whole business.''
But when her senior year came around, and it was time to get serious about choosing a career, coaching seemed to be a natural choice.
"At that point, I had an opportunity to stay on as an assistant, go to grad school, and do something I really love,'' Locke said. "That's when it sunk in that this was something I really wanted to do.''
And she doesn't regret her decision at all.
"I enjoyed it then, and I enjoy it now,'' Lock said. "It just seemed like it was meant for me. The right doors kept opening. It just appeared to me that this is what I was supposed to be doing.''
Twenty years since making that decision, she has accumulated 172 wins as SIU's head coach, including 23 victories in a magical 2002 season in which she was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and the Black Coaches Association Female Coach of the Year.
Last year's Salukis recorded the most wins and had the best conference finish (3rd) of any team during
Locke's tenure. They also advanced to the MVC Tournament championship for the first time. But they are just one many teams Locke cherishes.
"To be real honest -- it was expected,'' Locke said of last year's success. "We knew they were that talented.''
"It's probably (the best memory) because it's the most recent thing that's happened, but I've had some other years that I've really enjoyed the season, and we've had some wins that would make anybody stand up and smile. There have been other moments that have made it all worthwhile to be a coach and to coach an SIU team.''
Another of Locke's proudest accomplishments is the long history of recruiting outstanding student-athletes. Locke has played with or coached all six SIU Academic All-Americans.
Locke's coaching style can probably be described in two words -- no nonsense.
"She doesn't mess around,'' said SIU assistant coach and former Saluki player Lenika Lamar. "What she says is the truth.
And, as anybody who's been over to a match at Davies Gym and seen Locke coach recently can attest, she is very competitive.
"There is no question about that,'' Lamar said. "And she's one of the most loyal coaches you'll ever meet.''
Locke has developed a reputation as a coach who can be tough and comforting toward her players, getting on them one minute and then cracking them up with a joke the next.
"It's to my advantage as a coach to let them know I care about them as people," Locke said. "But that I'm going to kick their butts in practice as a coach. Because if I don't, the opponent is always going to be in control over them."
As much as she loves her job, Locke can't help wishing she could change one thing.
"The toughest thing, still, even for as long as I've been away from the game as a player, is to sit and watch,'' Locke said. "Because with the way I played the game, and the way I still think about the game, I literally feel like I could get out there and do something to help the team win.''
