From Player to Coach: Meet Isaac LaFunor
Kaitlyn Helinksy| October 28, 2025
Photo of Isaac LaFunor.
For Isaac LaFunor, volleyball started as a casual hobby: nothing too serious, just something fun to do with a friend. Over the years, that simple connection to the sport would evolve into a lifelong passion and lead to a new, unexpected career. Now a volleyball coach at Warren Wilson College (WWC), LaFunor has found purpose and fulfillment in a role he never saw coming. His path was not straightforward. A single, quiet decision-choosing volleyball over a “real job” after college-changed everything.
In high school, competing on a school volleyball team was not even an option for LaFunor. Men's volleyball is an emerging sport, having only become organized in the early 2000s, so playing in college was never on LaFunor's radar.
His early perception of the sport was that it was very simple and low-stakes, born from afternoon sessions playing with his eighth-grade girlfriend, who taught him the basics of the game.
“I was actually better than your average guy, which surprised me,” LaFunor said. “That's when I started thinking-maybe I should stick with it.”
LaFunor committed to play college volleyball at Lees-McRae while studying criminal justice. This is when volleyball became more than just a hobby. Even with the joy of being on a competitive team, the journey was not easy.
La Funor struggled in his freshman year. It was safe to say that his coach was not necessarily the nicest. LaFunor’s determination shows that hard work through adversity goes a long way.
LaFunor finished earning his degree, expecting the playing chapter of his life to come to a close as it came time for him to find full-time work. LaFunor could have pursued something in his field, like law enforcement, but when it came down to deciding where to go next in his career, he realized something.
“I didn’t want another job, I just wanted to keep being around volleyball,” LaFunor said. “I loved it too much to walk away, and if you love something that much, coaching is a pretty good way to stay in it.”
Now LaFunor has found himself at WWC, where he works to mentor athletes while trying to continue to build the men's and women's volleyball programs. In the coming months, he is excited to recruit, lead and bring his ideas to life.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” LaFunor said. “But I’m ready. I really am.”