What others have said: "You have taught me so much and inspired and motivated me to empower my life. You made me a stronger person, a stronger athlete. You taught me what it is like to be a champion, a legend. You taught me that if you want something you have to go get it. This is a big one and has changed my life significantly." Natalie Cook 1996 Olympic Bronze 2000 Olympic Gold 2004 Olympics - 4th 2008 Olympics - 5th 2012 Olympics - Gold!!!
"Having been guided by a number of quality coaches it was not until Kerri Pottharst became my mentor that I realized the real value of the “experience factor!” Kerri’s total understanding of the game, her experience on the court and more importantly her ability to communicate all in a clear and concise way went a long way to achieving my highlight to date – The Athens Olympic Games. Kerri is tough, but also has another vital ingredient to success – She cares!!! Thanks for everything Kez!!" Summer Lochowicz Olympian - 2004
"Five years ago I made a big step in my beach volleyball career when I started playing with Rebekka Kadijk. A strong foundation for our successes was made during our practices with Kerri. This year I’ll start to play with a new partner, Margo Wiltens. I felt that the best place to start training together would be with Kerri. Now, four weeks later, we found the identity of our team. Kerri identified our personal strengths and managed to put these together into a playing style that fits our team. After only a few weeks of practice we have a clear view of how we want to develop ourselves. In a short period of time we got lots of information that we can use in our games and practices all around the world! Kerri was very devoted to get the best out of us. Not just technical and physical, but she spent lots of energy on the mental part as well. To show us that everything is possible, she made us walk over glass. Just focus, set your mind to it and do it! Of course Manly is a great place, a perfect place to work hard and enjoy." Merel Mooren - The Netherlands Women’s World Tour player 2002 – 2010 "Hearing about Manly isn't the same as coming to Manly. The trip from Sydney to the Wharf Manly gives you the feeling of being in the best place in the world. Dutchies like me have Manly in their favourite top 3 places, even though they have seen a lot around the world.
In that little place Manly I met Kerri: thé Kerri Pottharst. A lot of stories already make their way to me and now I have the chance to work with her. From the start-meeting it was an learning experience. The amount of information gave me the feeling I needed a bigger head :)
It was an experience which was confrontating for myself as a person, but also as a player. Kerri brought me confidence and gave me trust and the believe of my opportunities. Even if I can't take everything I have learned and heard with me on the court, I can always use it for everything that is yet to comeg.
Merel and I started as a new team in Manly, just like Merel started also a new team 5 years ago with Kerri.
A better start we couldn't wish: going together to the National Champs and practicing everyday together for 3.5 weeks long. We created a game where our own specialities and strengths can be used and can develop to hide our flaws.
Kerri is a personal coach, not just a volleyball coach; who is always giving you positive energy whenever needed, in more ways than just in the rectangle or your own square;)
Thanks for the best time!" Margo Wiltens - Holland Women's World Tour player 2004 - current
Kerri has been there! She knows what it takes to turn a bronze metal into a gold one. After one season with her, there wasn’t a situation I came across she hadn’t been in herself. Why stumble? It was great to use her life/volleyball experiences as a sort of tool book. If you’re the type of athlete that needs a visual example/story to grab your attention she’s got plenty. She took the time to journal her positive and negative experiences throughout her volleyball career. Many of which were beneficial to myself. Besides volleyball, Kerri is skilled in team bonding/communication. She invests the extra time it takes to help teams build solid relationships. She realizes the importance of a positive team connection and facilitates a variety of exercises that benefit team cohesiveness. When the wheels are falling off you need something additional to keep the team together!!! Tyra Turner – USA AVP Pro Player - current FIVB player 2005 - current Ranked No. 5 in the World 2009
"Kerri Pottharst is without doubt the most successful player (male or female) to play the sport of volleyball indoor and beach) in Australia. Her results in both disciplines speak for themselves.
The greatest challenge for her was to translate that Australian success into performances that would see her place on top of the world. Her story isn’t about winning a gold medal, there was so much more to it than that. The story is in the re-discovery, the journey and the eventual realization of her dreams.
Kerri has now set herself a new challenge that promises to enhance the future direction of sport…..coaching.
The key quality that I believe will allow Kerri to transition her playing success into that of a successful coach is that when she played, she did so as a true student of the game. Never in my years as a player or a coach have I seen Kerri settle for second best – she is always striving for a better performance in everything she does. Her athletes will also inherit these essential success qualities.
Her success hasn’t come about through luck. To remain at the top of your game as long as Kerri has requires dedication to learning and understanding far beyond that of the physically gifted athlete who has achieved short term success.
It is this discipline, organisation, personal motivation and commitment that will be the hallmarks of her new career as a successful coach." Paul Smith Olympic Beach Volleyball Coach 1996, 2000, 2004 World Tour player 1989 - 92 Australian National Tour player 1988 - 94
"My time training with and learning from Kerri is one of the greatest experiences of my volleyball career. Learning from a gold medalist who is so passionate and knowledgeable about our sport is such an invaluable experience.
Kerri's approach to the game was something new for me. I was in the mindset that I had to do a million and one reps of each skill before I could successfully perform in a match. I quickly learned that QUALITY is more important than quantity. I had always relied on my strength and tried to out-muscle my opponents. Kerri taught me so much about not only out-muscling them, but out-thinking them, too. I learned about being creative on the court and not playing within a set of boundaries. She helped me figure out my strengths and play to them.
However, of all that I learned from Kerri while training with her, I feel the most important thing I learned from her is confidence on and off the court; believing and trusting in myself that I have done the prep work and that I belong playing with the best players in the world. Kerri has some of the most inspiring and motivating techniques I have ever experienced.
The setting being Sydney is an added bonus, as I found it to be an amazing place. The month I spent in Australia was one of the best times in my life and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to improve their game and have a fabulous time doing it." Angie Akers - USA Women’s AVP Pro player 2002 - current World Tour player 2008 - current
"In January 2005 I decided to play with Merel Mooren, a young player, very tall and talented. We knew when we decided to play together that we had a long way to go and that we needed a lot of help to become a good team this summer and in the future.
That's why we went to Australia and asked Kerri to help us practice. We had a great time.
The most important thing for me was that Kerri taught me to look differently at the game than I did before. We learned to focus on important things so much more about the beach volleyball game and how to consistently play well.
In the beginning we did a lot of basic stuff, like passing and setting, but we needed to work a lot on those things.
Kerri helped us a lot with our technique of playing the ball and how to focus on the pass and set. Besides the practices we talked with her a lot about tactics (how to play the game) and how to play together as a team this summer. She helped us a lot on this part.
The last two weeks we practiced more game situations. It was a pity that we only could stay one month, its because was perfect!" Rebekka Kadijk - Holland Women’s World Tour player 1997 – 2008 3 x Olympian, 2000, 2004, 2008
"In January/February 2005 we went to Australia to practice for a month. We practiced with Kerri Pottharst and also played the National Championships.
During our sessions we stayed in Manly, Sydney. A perfect place where we really felt at home. The courts were walking distance from our apartment.
Working with Kerri was somewhat different from what we were used to. During practice everything we did had to be perfect. The focus was on doing all the small things perfectly."
Then in the end when we thought we were doing fine, Kerri always found something to improve for the next day. We learned to look at the game in a totally different way.
Being a new team together we also needed to talk a lot about many things. Kerri really helped us with this and took a lot of time for it.
Every week we talked about different aspects of the team and the game, such as goal setting, teambuilding and tactics.
During the tournament in Surfers Paradise we finished second behind Kerri (who played with Vicky Karadassiou - Greece).
It was a good test to see what we’d learned during the previous weeks. After the tournament we had one more week to focus on areas that we needed to improve.
For us it was a great month and we’ve made a good start for a new team. When we practice at home or anywhere else we try to remember what we’ve learned in Australia. We feel that if we can play like we learned there, then we can play at our best level.
A very valuable experience that we recommend to everybody!" Merel Mooren - Holland 2008 Olympian Women’s World Tour player 2002 – current
"In April 2005 we had Kerri coach us for only 10 sessions during which I developed more as a beach volleyball player than I had done for the last year!
She is very careful and professional in everything she does and she helped us to reach new heights and really believe in what we are doing.
She’s got a very good eye for the game and helped me to change my technique in all the different parts of the game.
But what was totally invaluable was that she shared the experience of the way she is thinking on the court. And it was a whole new way of thinking for me!"
She forced us to think and concentrate to maximum every single second. What happens on the other side of the court? What is their weakness? Which is the best opportunity in this situation? I was more tired in my mind than in my body after most of the sessions.
It’s a privilege to get all this knowledge, a knowledge that took her all the way to the Olympic gold. I would like to have Kerri as a coach every day, every practice!" Rasmus Jonsson – Sweden Men’s National Tour player, ranked 7th on the Swedish tour 2004