Coaching Staff

Diego Serpa

Director

Diego Serpa was born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil. He moved to Tampa, Florida in 2007 on a scholarship to pursue his master’s degree in Education: Latin American Studies at the University of South Florida. Prior to his new adventure in the United States, Diego lived in Spain for two years where he played indoor volleyball and studied Tourism at the University of Salamanca.

Diego completed his degree at University of Fortaleza and worked as an Exchange Program Coordinator and International Student Advisor for the university.

During his time in Tampa, Diego Serpa met the Dagostino Family and was given the opportunity to coach for a high level program at Tampa Bay Juniors Volleyball Club and Berkeley Preparatory School. As Randy Dagostino’s assistant coach, Diego Serpa assisted in leading the Tampa Bay Juniors to a National Championship in 2012 and Berkeley Prep to two State Championships and four semi-final appearances.

In 2014, Diego moved to Orlando. While working for the residential program at Windermere Prep as a Residential Manager, Diego Serpa became involved in the school volleyball program together with Amanda Serpa. In his first year of coaching at Windermere Prep, he guided the 8th grade team to the first GOAC championship in the history of the school, and he also lead the Varsity team to its best finish in school history. He has been the Varsity head coach for the past two seasons.

Amanda Serpa

Director

Amanda Serpa is originally from New Jersey but spent most of her childhood years in Canton, Georgia. She grew up swimming competitively and discovered volleyball when her family moved her sophomore year of high school. She started playing club her junior year for a team in the Metro-Atlanta area and earned a full-ride to Presbyterian College to play volleyball.

While at Presbyterian, she broke school records for hitting percentage and most games played. She was also named to the 2nd-team Big South All-Conference her sophomore year and 1st-team Big South All-Conference her senior year.

Amanda moved to Orlando after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Middle School Education from Presbyterian College and taught the 6th Grade Foundation to Languages class at Windermere Preparatory School for three years. She also coached the 8th grade and Varsity teams during her tenure at Windermere Prep. In 2016, she coached the 8th grade team at WPS to a championship finish in the GOAC MS league.

Amanda graduates this Spring of 2017 with her master’s degree in Educational Leadership: Higher Education and Policy Studies from University of Central Florida (UCF), and she currently works part-time for the Office of Title IX at Rollins College as a Programming Assistant. Amanda will coach the JV and assist the Varsity team at Windermere Prep for the 2017 season.

Hannah Richards

Coach

Hannah Richards is from Venice, Florida where her passion for volleyball began. She grew up in a family that was full of volleyball players, her parents, older sister, and older brother all played so, of course, she started when she was around 8 years old. From peppering in the driveway with her dad, she went on to play volleyball at Venice High School where she achieved many great awards. She made varsity as a freshman and was a starting middle hitter, and the next year transitioned to an outside hitter, she helped her team to four back to back Final Fours, and won the State Championship twice, and she was awarded the Florida High School Player of the year for the 2015 season.
She chose to not accept her college offers to play volleyball and moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida for college. She graduated in the fall of 2019 with a Bachelors in Sport and Exercise Sciences.
She still continues to compete in adult leagues in Orlando, and she plays on a women’s nationals team that competes at the USAV Adult Nationals every year – her team placed 2nd last spring. She has just completed her first club season with the Driven family this spring and is looking forward to many more to come.

Due to her skill level she was also chosen to represent New York City at the Empire State Games. After graduating high school she was offered scholarships to different division I and II universities such as St. John’s University, University of Connecticut and Post University. While attending Post University she played as an outside hitter and libero. A few years later Meli moved to Florida where she follows her passion for volleyball. Meli has been playing volleyball for over 20 years while coaching the past 5 years for major volleyball club in Central Florida. Meli is excited to join the Driven family.

Tammara Kohler

Coach

Coach Tammara Kohler began her love for the sport of volleyball in 7th grade. She was a three sport athlete all throughout her high school career and graduated from Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa with a volleyball scholarship to attend Rollins College. During her time at Rollins she set multiple career and single season records for hitting, digging and serving as an outside hitter.

She graduated with an International Business degree and has since started her own company as well as took on the lifetime role as mom to 6 children. Throughout the off season in her volleyball career, Tammara has coached for teams with Rollins Summer Camps, OVA and Tampa Bay Juniors. Her most recent debut back into coaching was with the girls JV volleyball team at Windermere Prep this past season where they finished the season with the highest winning record to date for the JV program. She is excited to join the Driven coaching staff and share her knowledge of the game and drive for personal growth and achievement.

Clara Popper

Junior Coach

She graduated with an International Business degree and has since started her own company as well as took on the lifetime role as mom to 6 children. Throughout the off season in her volleyball career, Tammara has coached for teams with Rollins Summer Camps, OVA and Tampa Bay Juniors. Her most recent debut back into coaching was with the girls JV volleyball team at Windermere Prep this past season where they finished the season with the highest winning record to date for the JV program. She is excited to join the Driven coaching staff and share her knowledge of the game and drive for personal growth and achievement.

Micah Kurtz

Athletic Development Coach

Micah Kurtz is widely regarded as one of the top strength coaches in the country and has won numerous awards in his field including being named the 2016 National Strength Coach of the Year by the NSCA, a Top 40 under 40 Sports Professional by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2018 and twice named the South Carolina High School Strength Coach of the Year.

He currently is the Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Sports Performance at Windermere Preparatory School. Previously, he was the Director of Strength and Conditioning at AC Flora high school (Forest Acres, South Carolina). During his time there, AC Flora won 14 state championships and was twice named the state’s athletic program of the year.

Prior to Windermere Prep and AC Flora, Coach Kurtz worked at the University of South Carolina. During his time there, he worked directly with the volleyball, baseball, golf, basketball and track and field teams.

Coach Kurtz has consulted with the NFL, USA Basketball, USA Football and Nike Football on youth athletic development education. He is an active speaker at strength and fitness conferences across the U.S. and has delivered presentations in Mexico, China and Hong Kong. Micah has served as the South Carolina State Director for both the National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Coach Kurtz is a National Board Certified Teacher, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction (CSCS*D), Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D), USA Weight Lifting Sport’s Performance Coach (USAW), Functional Movement Screen Specialist (FMS) and a Certified Speed Specialist (NASE-CSS).

We desire to coach and teach student-athletes to be driven to be better volleyball players and human beings by having discipline, a strong work ethic, and respect for the sport, coaches, and team. We believe that coaching is teaching, and we will lead by example, coaching players into outstanding athletes and teaching them life skills.

BE DRIVEN!

We are a member club of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball. As a player you may stop any unwanted contact from a club representative simply by asking (either verbally or in writing) that all contact cease. Any player believing a club representative of any Florida Region Volleyball club has been intimidating, harassing, or acted inappropriately in any manner of contact or recruiting should contact the Florida Region office at (352)-742-0080.