Blake Rawlins begins his fifth season on the Embry-Riddle volleyball coaching staff. The DeLand, Fla. native brings knowledge of the game from his career as a semi-professional beach volleyball player, as well as extensive high school and club coaching experience. Rawlins specializes in training the team’s setters and service tactics.

Rawlins began his volleyball-playing career with the Volusia Junior Volleyball Club from 1991-93 helping the Juniors win a USAV Regional Championship and appearance at the USAV National Tournament.

He continued his career at DeLand High School where he graduated after earning four varsity letters on the boys volleyball squad. In addition to his career with DHS, he also competed with the Orlando Gold Volleyball Club from 1993-97. Most recently, he has competed on the East End Beach Volleyball and Florida Beach Volleyball Tours since 2004, and with USAV Indoor Club Volleyball since 1998.

Following his high school playing career, Rawlins ventured outside the lines to begin his coaching career in 1998 as the DeLand Girls High School assistant coach and Florida Elite Volleyball Club until 2003.

While Rawlins was on the DeLand coaching staff, the Bulldogs captured four conference championships, one district championship, four district runner-up and one regional runner-up finish. His best season with DeLand, was in 2000 when the team was 26-3, earning district and conference championships and were regional runners-up.

He also served as the assistant coach at Winter Springs High School in 2004. Rawlins also served as The Volleyball Academy’s (Orlando, Fla.) Director of Coaches from 2004-07 while coaching the 17’s and 18’s National teams. In 2008 he served as the Co-Director and Head of Coaches for the Florida Elite Volleyball Club and coached the 16’s national team.

In the summer of 2007, Rawlins was selected as one of the coaches for the USA Florida High Performance Team. That team’s performance prompted officials to ask Rawlins to serve as the coach for the Bring It USA 18’s team that traveled and played in Europe in December of 2007. In the spring of 2009, Rawlins and Gallop began their own club volleyball program, called the Atlantic Coast Juniors. Rawlins serves as the head coach of the 16’s team and also serves as the liaison for parent relations. In the summer of 2009, he will assist Gallop with the youth High Performance team in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Rawlins currently resides in Port Orange, Fla.