Kayla Hamner – 2026 Sharon Thompson Metro KC Female Coach of the Year

Soccer – KC Fusion

Coach Hamner’s podcast interview

What was shared about Coach Hamner:  Kayla currently serves as the Academy Coach for the 2015 Girls and the Aspire Coach for the 2009 Girls. In both roles, she goes far beyond teaching the technical and tactical elements of the game. Through competition, she intentionally teaches life skills such as leadership, accountability, resilience, communication, teamwork, time management, and personal responsibility. Her players are not only developing as athletes — they are growing as young women.

One of the most meaningful initiatives Kayla has implemented is a mentorship structure between age groups. Each player on the 2009 Aspire team mentors a player on the 2015 Academy team, creating a bridge between the two programs. This structure provides younger players with role models while giving the older players a tangible opportunity to practice leadership and responsibility. Kayla reinforces to the 2009 group the importance of their influence and the example they set, helping them understand that their role extends beyond their own performance.

Todd Lewis

Volleyball – MAVS

Coach Lewis’s podcast interview

What was shared about Coach Lewis: Todd Lewis embodies the very essence of what Community for Coaches celebrates — he uses the game of volleyball not merely to teach sport, but to transform lives and build character in young people.

Todd consistently creates an environment where players feel seen and capable of growth. Rather than focusing solely on wins and losses, he emphasizes confidence, resilience, and self-belief as cornerstones of athletic and personal success. He encourages his athletes to take risks, learn from setbacks, and celebrate effort — reinforcing that confidence is formed through courage and commitment. Under his guidance, players who once doubted themselves are now approaching challenges with a strong, positive mindset that extends far beyond the volleyball court.

But Todd’s impact goes deeper: he cultivates leadership within his players. By giving them ownership of roles, responsibilities, and decision-making during games and practices, he teaches them how to lead with integrity, empathy, and accountability. He gives his captains permission to call a timeout in practice if the team has lost focus or needs a pep talk, and uses that time to reset. These young athletes learn what it means to encourage teammates, communicate with purpose, and make thoughtful choices under pressure — skills that prepare them for leadership in classrooms, families, their communities and future careers.

Margo Todd –

2026 Rising Star Award Recipient

Sports Performance, Ignite

Coach Todd’s podcast interview

What was shared about Coach Todd: Margo just finished her first year coaching at Ignite. WOW! She was incredible! She had a true knack for winning the hearts of young kids… in particular, Margo really excelled in helping kids who actually didn’t want to attend our program AND kids who were a little bit unmotivated. Margo developed strong relationships with them which later led to them really “buying into” the training process. As an athlete herself, Margo finished high school as one of the strongest females in the state of Kansas and is now throwing (shotput, discus, etc.) for Wichita State… she inspires young girls to train hard and achieve their dreams! Our gym and our camp are incredibly blessed to have her on staff!