Will Riddell is a student at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism assigned to cover North High School volleyball.

Looking at those sitting on North High School’s bench during a varsity volleyball match, one person might stand out among the cluster of players and coaches. That person would be John Lumm.

Unlike the rest of the coaching staff, Coach Lumm could pass for one of the players’ grandpas if need be. At first glance, he looks like someone more interested in crosswords than kills.

In his six years at North, Lumm has not only taken on the role of coach; He has taken on the role of friend too.

“He takes the time to get to know [the girls], and I think that’s super important,” head coach Mindy Williams said.

Originally from northeastern Indiana, Lumm grew up playing and loving the game of basketball. He coached basketball at first, but he would eventually develop a similar interest and love for the game of volleyball after moving out to Arizona.

His passion for the game continued to grow as his daughter fell in love with the sport. Lumm’s daughter Karyn played at Westwood High School in Mesa during the late 90s. Lumm said the team was “nationally ranked” at the time.

Now in his sixth year as a coach at North, Lumm first came into contact with Williams thanks to Karyn as well.

“She was actually my JV coach for a while, and he started coming around to help,” Williams said.

Fast forward, and he is now the assistant varsity coach.

Quick to make comments regarding technique, Coach Lumm roams just outside the court boundaries during games and practices, eager to pull players aside and offer advice. He lives for the light-bulb moments.

“Fundamentals and technique [are] what I’m all about,” Lumm said. “That’s why I love being an assistant like this…I can sit here and really concentrate on fundamentals and their technique.”

Not only is the advice endless with Lumm, but so is the energy. That energy comes from a love for the game he has coached for over four decades. That energy might also come from a sugary, carbonated drink known as Mountain Dew.

“I live on that stuff, I have since college,” Lumm said.

He is continually pacing the court during practice, taking in the action from every possible angle. During a game, he is involved in the team’s huddles during timeouts and before the start of a new set.

“I’ve always been that way,” he said. “I get excited doing this; That’s the fun thing."

Lumm’s positive and upbeat attitude are as valuable to North as his coaching experience. He talks with all of the players, and when they talk with him, there is usually a smile on their face.

“Everyone has off days where they’re just not in the mood, and being around Coach Lumm, just getting the hug from him or something like that, it really brings you up,” sophomore middle back Myah Bacon said.

This is Bacon’s first year on varsity after playing JV her freshman season. Like everyone else on the team, she quickly came to appreciate Lumm’s energy and support.

“He keeps us going,” Bacon said.