Courageous Cancer Battle Ends for VB Hall of Fame Coach Lori Koker

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High school volleyball hall of fame coach Lori Koker passed away early Wednesday (4/24/24) following an extended fight with cancer. She was 59.

Calling hours will be Saturday 4/27/24 at Zane Trace High School Gymnasium from 11am-1pm with the funeral at 1pm.

The dictionary definition for courage reads: “not deterred by danger or pain; brave.” While Lori Koker’s hall of fame coaching statistics speak for themselves, her real life example of faith and courage during her extended illness possibly even overshadowed her on-court accomplishments.

Lori’s display of faith, courage and hope over the last few years of her mortal life served as a tremendous example for the entire community. In spite of the severity of her illness, Lori continued to coach through much of that time, either as a head coach or as an assistant. Her driving passion was helping young women that played for her volleyball teams. “If I can make a difference in one of these girl’s lives, you can’t put that into wins and losses. But you can put it into your life.”

She stepped away from head coaching after the 2022 season to spend more time with her family as well as helping facilitate a cancer support group, which she was very excited to talk about in an April 2023 Litter Media LIVE interview, alongside her husband Allen. In that interview Lori talked about the physical struggle with cancer and how it made she and husband Allen stronger spiritually. “Our faith is so much stronger now and we share scripture everyday with people that are survivors and it’s made me a better person.” 

In her 23 seasons as a head coach, Lori Koker won a combined 406 matches in coaching stints at Westfall, Zane Trace and Southeastern. During a couple of retirement years from head coaching, Lori served as an assistant coach at Huntington, Southeastern and Portsmouth Notre Dame.

The teams she led as a varsity head coach won three SVC titles, 19 sectional titles, 12 district championships, and led Westfall to the State Final Four three straight years- a feat never duplicated by any other coach in the area. 

Lori was voted SVC Coach of the Year three times, District Coach of the Year five times, received three State Coaching Achievement Awards and was inducted into the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into Westfall’s Hall of Fame in 2017. For many years she also served as the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association Trustee for District 14.

Lori Koker won 406 volleyball matches in her great hall of fame coaching career. But in my opinion the faith, courage, and hope she displayed during life’s biggest struggle was her greatest victory. Well done Lori!, Well done!

To see the April 2023 full interview with Lori and Allen Koker, CLICK HERE