On a typical school day, Heather Sanders starts before sunrise with hot yoga, arrives at Canyon High School by 6 a.m. and prepares for volleyball practice by 7.
After 28 years leading the Canyon Cougars, the routine is second nature. But on this recent Friday morning, just hours before her final regularly scheduled match in the Cougar Den, Sanders was preparing to close a chapter that has shaped much of her life.
Inside her office, Sanders sat calmly among decades of memories. Photos and memorabilia lined the walls, including images of the first team she coached at Canyon and the last she will lead. Former students became lifelong friends, and mentors became trusted confidants. And the moments captured on the walls became memories she will carry long after the season ends.
Sanders’ volleyball journey began at New Braunfels High School, where she played several sports under coach Claudia Perry. Athletics gave her a sense of belonging and stability during difficult times, and the coaches who supported her helped shape the mentor she would become…