Vanessa Romero is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Dobson High School for AZPreps365.com.

MESA – Kaitlyn Johnson isn't afraid to be tough on her players.

Since taking over Dobson High School's volleyball program, she has used her tough-love approach to rebuild the program's culture, restore trust and push players to reach their potential.

Dobson sophomore middle blocker Leila Armenta said Johnson's coaching style pushes players to work harder and improve.

“She wants you to succeed,” Armenta said. “She'll be tough on you, but she ultimately just wants you to succeed.”

But building that kind of relationship with her players wasn't always easy.

When Johnson took over the Dobson girls volleyball program in 2022 at age 22, rebuilding the team's culture became one of her biggest challenges. The previous head coach, who led both the girls and boys programs, had been let go, leaving Johnson and another young coach, Davis Range, responsible for restoring relationships and confidence within the program.

“There was no trust between the coaching staff and the players,” Johnson said. “We picked the entire program up just the two of us, and built it from scratch.”

Since taking over, Johnson has focused on rebuilding the team's culture rather than measuring success solely through wins and losses. Dobson finished 4-18 in 2026 after an 8-15 season in 2025. Johnson said her priority is creating an environment where players trust their coaches, feel valued and are encouraged to improve.

Johnson's responsibilities at Dobson extend beyond the girls volleyball program. She also leads the boys team, which improved from a 3-14 record in 2025 to 9-12 in 2026. The team's 2026 record was its best during Johnson's five seasons at Dobson.

As a former player, Johnson initially wanted her athletes to view and play the game the same way she did. Over time, she learned that each player had different strengths and personalities.

“I really had to let that player go and learn to love and accept and coach them for who they are instead of wishing that they were more like me,” Johnson said.

Johnson's leadership has also helped her assistant coaches grow. Miles McClurg, a first-year assistant and former player under Johnson, said he has gained confidence in his role, including taking on responsibilities such as running varsity practices independently.

He said Johnson's guidance has taught him resilience and how to push through difficult situations.

“She just kind of teaches me a lot about resilience and being able to stand up through things, even though you really don't want to do them,” McClurg said.

Johnson's expectations come from a motto her father taught her when she was 11: “Amazing results require an amazing effort.” She has carried that message throughout her coaching career, encouraging players to believe in themselves and put in the work necessary to improve.

That emphasis on effort has begun to translate into progress on the court. The girls team's second-place finish at the Epic Volleyball Tournament in September marked an achievement the program had not reached in years.

With seven seniors graduating, Johnson said she hopes returning players will carry that progress into next season. She aims to maintain a winning record and bring another tournament trophy back to Dobson, continuing the culture she and her players have worked to rebuild.