I’m sure it’s probably been done before. The thing is, I’m not aware of it happening here in Harrison County or any place else for that matter.

 

So what happened last Saturday at the Charleston Civic Center involving the Bridgeport Volleyball team was certainly historic on the Bridgeport front. And more than for just the Indians winning the school’s first-ever volleyball title.

 

Thanks to the win, Bridgeport now has its first family of volleyball. They are officially Mr. and Mrs. Burton – or the Coaches Burton.

 

Ali Burton, the head coach, and husband and Bridgeport High School alum Grant, the volunteer, are the first spouses I recall winning a title together. If I’m wrong, it doesn’t change the theme of anything already or about to be written here. Having a husband and wife on the bench leading a group of talented young ladies to a state volleyball championship just adds to the magic of bringing home the crown.

 

Plenty of things had to happen for that magic to fall into place.

 

As most following sports know, getting to that championship level requires many things. Good fortune, good players, good coaching and a few more things with the adjective of good in front of it all matter.

 

Take any of those out of the equation and things could end up differently. That doesn’t mean if Mr. and Mrs. Burton aren’t the coaches that none of what happened this past weekend takes place. It just means that the variables in all sports can change on subtle things let alone major ones.

 

With that in mind, realize Ali and Grant Burton isn’t the story of two childhood sweethearts. Rather, it’s one of two people meeting in college as the circumstance were correct and the stars aligned properly. The alignment not only led them eventually down the wedding aisle, but also to a state championship.

 

Ali Burton was Ali Curry, a graduate of Greenbrier East High School who ended up at West Virginia Wesleyan College to play – not surprisingly – volleyball. Grant Burton was also a student there, but his time was spent between the track and field team and also the basketball program.

 

“I originally went to Wesleyan to play volleyball, but the coach that recruited me quit,” said Ali. “I had been talking with (former Wesleyan) Coach (Jesse) Skiles about track and I decided to take him up on the offer. Coach Skiles was very convincing and as it turned out both of us were on the track team.”

 

The couple would meet in 2008. And they met through track.

 

“The track team is a humongous family. You know everyone, even though there’s more than 120 people involved, and everyone hangs out together,” said Ali.

 

So how did they go from knowing each other to eventually tying the knot many years later?

 

“We had a group of mutual friends and that’s how we got to know each other,” said Grant. “The more I got to know her the more I thought here was this beautiful girl with an awesome personality that we matched up with on things athletically and life in general.”

 

By 2009, they were dating.

 

“I guess I was lucky enough to get her or maybe lucky enough to fool her,” Grant said with a laugh.

 

During her first semester at Wesleyan, Ali studied exercise science. She wasn’t sure if that was the right path, but purposely avoided the thought of becoming a teacher and, ultimately, a coach.

 

“Both of my parents were teachers,” she said. “I thought that I didn’t want to do that, but deep down I knew and made the switch.”

 

That switch was another in the unique set of circumstances that eventually landed her at Bridgeport High School. Just a semester in at WVWC, her new career path was in physical education and health.

 

As her graduate time arrived in 2012, she was still with Grant. However, Ali Curry had moved back to Greenbrier County and was teaching and coaching volleyball and track for two years. Coaching was something she loved, she said, because sports was something she had always been around. Volleyball, in particular, was a sport she never strayed too far from.

 

“I started playing in seventh grade and it wasn’t as big a deal as it is now … By the time I was in high school I was in love with the sport and that love was fostered by my coach,” said Ali. “When I was in college and knew I would be teaching it was something I felt I would potentially coach.”

 

Eventually, she headed back to North Central West Virginia. When asked why (as Grant pointed to himself), Ali laughed and explained it related to teaching and what she really wanted to do.

 

“I wanted to teach elementary physical education and an elementary job came open in Harrison County. On top of that, a volleyball coaching position came open and I figured it was time to try something different,” said Ali.

 

Just like that, she was in Harrison County. Teaching in elementary school and coaching volleyball at BHS in 2014. The one downside was that volleyball did not have an assistant position. Fortunately, she didn’t have to look too hard to find a volunteer.

 

While Grant jumped aboard, he wasn’t too sure about it. After all, his volleyball experience was limited to competing at the former sand court when it was situated by the Benedum Civic Center pool and watching his sister Sarah compete for the Indians.

 

“I just wasn’t too sure, but I enjoyed it because of my sister playing and all that time down at the Civic Center so I figured why not,” Grant said. “That first year, man, there was a big learning curve from a coaching aspect.”

 

Yet, it worked. The pair went from coaches that dated to coaches who were married. Along the way, they realizes they were also compatible on the bench.

 

“It’s been a benefit. We have a lot of the same coaching philosophies, which helps because we believe in a lot of the same things,” said Ali. “There are some athletes we’ve had that he gets to and others where I’m the one to get through to them … Grant and I don’t always agree on everything, but we always agree to work things out because we’re doing things in the best interest of our players.

 

“The real benefit is that he knows me so well that he knows when I’m at my worst,” she continued. “He knows when to step in and the right things to say. That’s a bonus as a coach.”

 

Grant agreed with how the chemistry from their personal life carried over easily when coaching together in the same program (since they also coach track, but Grant with the boys team and Ali with the girls) for the first time.

 

“Honestly, it never felt awkward. We have a lot of the same views in terms of what we expect out of the girls. We set the bar high for them. If a decision has to be determined, she’s the head coach and I listen,” said Grant, who ended up graduating from WVWC with a degree in exercise science and today works at Bridgeport Physical Therapy as a PT assistant. “We’ve always enjoyed this, but winning that title was special.”

 

Indeed it was. Unlike most who coach, Ali Burton didn’t have to scan the crowd to hug her loved one or spouse as the Indians clinched their first state title. She only had to turn around on the bench.

 

“Honestly, that was awesome,” said Ali. “It’s something I’ll never forget, but watching those girls celebrate for their work is something I won’t forget either.”

 

Again, Grant echoed much of what his wife had to say.

 

“That moment at the end was gratifying because I see the work she puts in to this and she sees the work I put into it. At the same time, you’re happy because we’ve seen those girls sacrifice to be successful together,” said Grant. “It was awesome for Ali to win this as a head coach and for me as an assistant, but I’m pretty sure we both enjoyed that moment for the girls. It wouldn’t be bad to do it all again.”

 

Grant, of course is talking about doing another state title – not a marriage. After all, there’s no need or reason to break up the first family of BHS volleyball. It’s a championship family.

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Joey Signorelli of www.benqueenphotography.com.