Coach Lad Salness
Head Varsity Coach
​
Coach Salness graduated from Anaheim high school in 1973 and he played varsity football, basketball and tennis.
He went to University of Oregon in the fall of 1973 and played football his freshman year, but severely injured his shoulder.
He graduated in spring of 1978 with Bachelor's Degree in Biology, PE, Health and later obtained his Masters in Administration.
Salness started teaching in 1978 at Meadow Park, teaching biology and coaching football and boy's tennis and did that for the next 5 years.
He then moved back home to Anaheim, California, and started teaching for Irvine Unified School District teaching biology and coaching football and men's volleyball from 1982 to 1990.
Salness married his wonderful wife Annie Farrow in June of 1986. They have been Married now for 37 years.
Lad and Annie moved back to Beaverton in 1990 to start a family and have Annie run her art business from home with the kids. They have 4 children.
Thomas Micahel Salness (married to Melissa) Thomas has 2 children (Olivia 2 and Jackson 2 months ). Thomas is the head volleyball coach at Newberg High School and also coaches men's basketball.
Katherine Elizabeth Salness Nash (married to Marcus Nash) Lives in Tri-City,WA and is a Pharmacist and they are expecting Brielle Salness Nash in September 2023.
Laurie Ann Salness Duncan (married to Alec) and she lives in Sitka, Alaska.
Laurie teaches 1st Graders in Sitka.
Claire Marie Salness is a manager for a construction company and coaches Sunset Volleyball and Abc Apollo Club volleyball and working on her personal training business.
All 4 kids attended Sunset High School and played Volleyball and Basketball and all 4 have coached volleyball for Sunset High School and ABC Apollo Volleyball at some point in their careers.
Salness Coaching Career.
Meadow Park, 1978 -1982 Football and Tennis
University HS Irvine 1982-1990 Football and Mens Volleyball
Meadow Park 1990-1992 Football and Mens Tennis
Sunset High School 1992-1995 Head Volleyball Coach at Sunset
1995-2002 Did not coach–Had 4 kids under age 7
Sunset High School 2003 to the Present Teaching and coaching Volleyball and Men's tennis.
Club Volleyball 1992-95 and 2003-Present Director/coach ABC Apollo VBC
Coaches
Coach Kristin Lowery
JV Coach
​
Coach Lowery is the JV Coach and has been in coaching at Sunset since 2004. She is a science teacher and graduated from Sunset in 1998. Kristin is married to Jason (who is also an Apollo teacher) & has a toddler son!
Coach Courtney Gaffney
JV / JV2 Assistant
​
Coach Gaffney has been coaching at Sunset since 2009. She has coached the JV2 teams as well as been a Varsity assistant. Courtney teaches Health at Sunset. Her husband also teaches in the district and they have 2 boys in elementary school.
Coach Olivia Carter
JV2 Coach
Coach Carter has been coaching at Sunset since 2011. She coaches one of the JV2 teams. Olivia graduated from Sunset in 2005 and played for Coach Salness when she was at Sunset. Her and her husband live in the area and have 3 kids who will be Apollos one day!
Coach Lexie Branham
JV2 Coach
​
Coach Branham is one of the JV2 coaches. She is a teacher at St Pius and has been coaching at Sunset since 2019. She graduated from Central Catholic and played volleyball at Sac State. Lexie & her husband have 1 son.
Coach Claire Salness
Varsity Assistant
​
Claire graduated from Sunset in 2016 and played volleyball (and basketball) for Bushnell University. Claire has been a part of the program since she was a little girl and most recently has been a Varsity assistant.
Coach Erica Monson
Varsity Assistant
​
Coach Erica graduated from Sunset in 2011 and continued her volleyball career at BYU-Hawaii. She coached club volleyball in Iowa for 5 years before moving back to Oregon and is excited to be a Varsity assistant this season. Erica and her husband have 3 kids who will hopefully grow up to love volleyball as much as she does!
Coach Chris Miller
​
Coach Chris Miller is pleased to be entering his eighth year of coaching with the Sunset High School program. He currently teaches social studies at Whitford Middle School. Over the past 30+ years, he has coached volleyball at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. He played collegiately at Orange Coast College and San Diego State University.
Coach Miller is married. He and his wife Kristina have two daughters. His oldest daughter is a Sunset graduate, and his youngest daughter currently plays volleyball at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.