At Marion Magic, our coaching staff is dedicated to creating an environment that is not only fun but also positive, supportive, and rewarding for all players. With a deep wealth of experience both on the court and as coaches, our team brings a diverse range of knowledge to the table. Many of our coaches have played at high levels of competition, including collegiate volleyball, and have years of experience coaching teams of all ages and skill levels. This combination of playing experience and coaching expertise allows them to connect with players, help them develop their skills, and foster a love for the game. Above all, our coaches are passionate about teaching the sport, building confidence, and encouraging athletes to reach their full potential both on and off the court. They are committed to not only helping players improve their volleyball abilities but also instilling important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience. We’re excited for another season and look forward to seeing each player grow and thrive as part of the Marion Magic family!
Jeff Kost
Club Director
Jeff is returning for his 11th year with the club and 8th year as Club Director. Growing the club and making the program stronger for all youth in the area is a goal for Jeff as he looks at ways to expand the reach of the club. Jeff enjoys working in the district office at the Marion Independent School District supporting students and staff in a variety of ways from enrollment to technology. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife Samantha, daughter Charlotte, and the family dog Molly.
Rachel Combs
9u Head Coach
Rachel grew up playing volleyball at Marion and went on to continue her athletic career in both volleyball and softball at Mount Mercy University. She has coached volleyball for 15 years, including 11 years at Prairie High School, most recently as the assistant varsity coach. Rachel also coached and directed the Prairie Volleyball Club for eight years. Throughout her own playing career, she continued competing in competitive leagues, primarily as a libero and outside hitter.
Rachel is married to Dalton, and has three kids: Rylynn (8) and twins Michalyn and Oaklyn (5). She earned her biology degree from Mount Mercy University and later completed her master’s in education from Morningside College. Rachel currently serves as an instructional coach at Prairie High School.
Outside of volleyball, Rachel enjoys working out, reading, and spending time with her family. She is excited to help young athletes grow and love the game!
Grace Hobson
9u Assistant Coach
Grace has played volleyball for more than 10 years with various local club teams as well as school teams from 7th grade through her junior year of high school. She mainly played outside and middle and has experience as a defensive specialist.
Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Grace is the oldest of five siblings. After graduating from Prairie High School in 2022 she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Political Science from the University of Illinois Chicago.
Outside of volleyball, Grace enjoys working out, yoga, reading, cooking, playing board games, and spending time with friends. Fun fact: She met her best friend in 4th grade when we were placed on the same club volleyball team!
Sam Kost
10u Head Coach
Sam played school and club volleyball throughout middle school and high school. She has been with Marion Magic for over 15 years. Previously, Sam was a coach for many years, then became the club director, and then moved back to coaching, where her true passion lies. She loves to travel, having traveled to over 7 countries with many more on the bucket list. Sam enjoys spending time with her husband, Jeff and daughter, Charlotte.
Rachel Hauck
10u Assistant Coach
Rachel was a four-year starter at Coe College, playing six rotations in the middle and helping lead the team to the NCAA DIII Tournament in her senior season. She remains in the Coe College career record books, ranking 10th in career kills, 5th in career aces, 18th in career digs, and 8th in total blocks. Since 2010, she has coached at Marion High School, becoming the Assistant Varsity Coach in 2013. In addition to coaching, she regularly plays at the YMCA and Volley’s, continuing her passion for the game. Outside of volleyball, Rachel enjoys staying active, working out, and spending time with her kids. She is also involved in the Parent Group at Longfellow Elementary and serves on the Board of the Marion Independent School Foundation & Alumni Association. She is excited to help the next generation of players develop their skills and love for volleyball!
Johanna Heidelbauer
11u Regional Head Coach
Johanna grew up playing volleyball for Marion Independent Schools from 7th-12th grade as well as for multiple local club programs including Marion Magic and Iowa Rockets. She went on to continue her volleyball career at the University of Dubuque, where she played outside and defensive specialist. During her senior year, her team qualified for the NCAA tournament. Johanna also ran track in college, competing as a multi-sport athlete.
Johanna has been coaching volleyball for the past seven years , and is excited to bring that experience to this season’s team!
Sara Farnham
11u Regional Assistant Coach
Sara has played volleyball for Marion throughout her school years and has helped coach multiple Marion Magic teams. This year, she also served as the assistant coach for the 8th grade team at Vernon. She grew up in Marion and now live in Cedar Rapids with her boyfriend, Carter, and their dog, Moose. Sara works for the Marion School District, and is a 2015 MISD graduate. She will complete her Elementary Education degree from William Penn University in December 2025.
Outside of volleyball, Sara enjoys playing tennis and pickleball, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She is excited to continue growing as a coach and supporting young athletes!
Natalie Shaffer
11u League Head Coach
Natalie’s love for volleyball began in the same gym many Magic players start in—VMS. She played throughout high school and was coached by Coach Paulsen where she was part of state-qualifying teams both her junior and senior seasons as a front-row, left-side player. After graduating from MISD in 2007, she coached freshman volleyball at Marion and also coached club before taking time away from the sport to raise her family.
Natalie loves teaching and has a passion for building connections with kids which is demonstrated by her current role as a teacher at Boulder Peak in the Linn-Mar district. Natalie’s husband, Ryan—also a teacher in the district—has coached middle school volleyball at Linn-Mar for about 10 years. We have three wonderful kids–an 8-year old and 6-year old twins.
Outside of volleyball, she loves spending time with her large family, including four siblings and many nieces and nephews. Fun fact: I once snuck into a Taylor Swift concert!
Ryan Shaffer
11u Regional Assistant Coach
Ryan has coached 7th grade volleyball at Oak Ridge in the Linn-Mar district for more than 10 years, and about 15 years ago my wife and I coached a Marion Magic 14U team. We’re excited to be coaching a younger level again this season! In addition to volleyball, I also coach middle school basketball and track and field.
Ryan and his wife, Natalie, are both teachers at Linn-Mar and share a strong passion for volleyball. They like to stay busy with their three kids. Ryan graduated from Starmont High School in 2008, earned his undergraduate degree from UNI, and completed his master’s through Morningside University. He has been teaching middle school literacy and writing at Oak Ridge since 2014.
Ryan enjoys reading, watching sports, and iced coffee—and as always, Go Hawks! Fun fact: Ryan is an OG Swiftie (circa 2006!).
Peyton Skiba
12u Regional Head Coach
Peyton started playing volleyball in 6th grade and quickly fell in love with the sport. She played travel volleyball with Belusa United throughout high school and went on to compete at the collegiate level as a right/middle hitter at Buena Vista University. After earning academic honors and majoring in Elementary Education with endorsements in special education and reading, she is now in her third year as a special education teacher at Parkview Elementary. This season marks her third with the club and first as a Freshman Coach at Marion High School, and she’s excited to bring her passion for the game to her players. Outside of volleyball Peyton enjoys spending time with her boyfriend Austin, their two dogs Athena and Kenai, and exploring new Mexican restaurants in Cedar Rapids.
Alyssa Hartwig
12u Regional Assistant Coach/13u Local Head Coach
Alyssa started playing club volleyball at 12U with CEMAR and continued through middle school and high school with programs such as Rapid Spikers and Marion Magic. Over the years, she’s earned several local and out-of-state tournament wins and finished 2nd at Junior Regionals in Chicago. After high school, she stayed active in volleyball through both indoor and outdoor rec leagues, and currently competes in a women’s sand league, a co-ed sand league, and a co-ed indoor league.
This will be Alyssa’s first year coaching, and she is beyond excited for the season ahead! Outside of volleyball, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending concerts and sporting events, or relaxing at home. Alyssa is a graduate of Marion and went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Mount Mercy University.
Emma Boleyn
13u Regional Head Coach/13u Local Head Coach
Emma has been playing volleyball for 14 years across every surface—indoor, sand, grass, and even mud and water. She has spent her school years as a middle hitter, but in recent seasons she’s transitioned into setting and being a defensive specialist. She has been coaching for five years and have worked with around ten teams during that time.
Off the court, she likes to stay busy working multiple jobs and spending time with her wonderfully spoiled dog, Koda, as well as her boyfriend. Emma is excited to bring her passion for volleyball and coaching to this season!
Jen Tritle
13u Regional Assistant Coach
Jen has been playing volleyball for the past 25+ years, starting in school and continuing through her adult life with both indoor and sand volleyball. She began her coaching career in 2009 at Xavier High School, where she coached for five years, including with the Xplosion club team. She later served as the varsity coach at Central City High School for three years before stepping away to watch her oldest daughter play. She’s excited to continue coaching and share her passion for the sport with others. Jen lives in Marion with her husband and two daughters, one a college freshman and the other a 7th grader, both active in sports. In addition to coaching volleyball, she also coaches club softball for Marion and enjoys playing sand volleyball in her free time. When not coaching, she loves spending time with family and friends.
Kari Scherbring
14u Regional Head Coach
This is Kari’s fourth year coaching with Marion Magic. She played outside hitter in high school and has three years of coaching experience at the high school level. In addition to coaching volleyball, she teaches at Vernon Middle School and coaches youth softball. Kari lives in Anamosa with her husband, Matt, and their two children, Grady and Kendra, who attend school in Marion. A graduate of West Delaware High School and Wartburg College with a degree in Music Education and a Coaching Authorization, she enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.
Becky Rasmussen
14u Regional Assistant Coach
Becky has a strong volleyball background, with several years of experience playing in junior high and high school, including three years with a high school club team. She also had the rewarding opportunity to coach her sister’s club volleyball team for two years. Originally from Dubuque, Becky relocated to the Cedar Rapids area to continue her education at Kirkwood Community College and Coe College, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Education. Currently, she is an Instructional Coach at Linn-Mar Schools. She and her family—husband Herb and their three children, Hank, Sydney, and Charley—live in Marion, where they stay busy enjoying sports, including baseball, softball, football, and volleyball. The family also loves attending Iowa Hawkeye games together.
Marion Magic Volleyball Club 