In 1967, Mary Otley was the physical education (P.E.) teacher at Lincoln Junior High in Burns, and part of her requirements included coaching volleyball to the seventh- and eighth-graders. Rather than play the game the way other teams were playing in those days, Otley taught her players “power volleyball,” and changed the Hilander volleyball program forever.

Otley said she learned the power volleyball techniques of the stance, bump, set, and spike from a rule book, and they are still used today.

However, Otley said that when her players first began learning the new style of play, things didn’t go so well.

“We took some awful beatings learning to play this way,” she said. “But the kids were eager to learn and loved to play.”

In 1971, Otley took over as P.E. teacher and volleyball coach at Burns Union High School. Her volleyball teams traveled around the state, winning a number of matches.

One not-so-fond memory of that time was not being invited to the first state volleyball tournament. Otley said Burns should have been invited, and the next year, the tournament was run by the Oregon School Activities Association.

Otley said her teams were winning the district every year, but didn’t play well when it came time to play for a state berth.

Then in 1978, the Hilanders put it all together and came away from the tournament with the AA state championship. Burns defeated Gladstone in the first round 18-16, 15-10.

In the quarterfinals, Burns downed Creswell 12-15, 15-12, 17-15, and then moved into the title match with a 15-6, 10-15, 15-6 victory over Rainier.

The Hilanders then took home the championship trophy with a 15-13, 9-15, 17-15 win over Elmira.

Otley served as the Burns volleyball coach for 12 years, seeing some of her former players enter the coaching ranks as well, including current Hilander coach Paula Toney, who played during Otley’s final season as coach.

To honor Otley’s contributions to the volleyball program, Harney District Hospital held the Mary Otley Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, June 11, at the outdoor courts next to Burns High School. The tournament will be an annual event to benefit the CAN Cancer program in Harney County.

“To think I now have a tournament named after me is special,” Otley said.

Several former players were in attendance for the tournament and to share special memories with Otley.

Otley made special mention of two former players, Jo Crisafi and Gayle Curtis, who were the setters on her first team that used the 4-2 system of four hitters and two setters.

“There are a lot of good memories,” Otley said reflecting back on her years as coach.

Otley now spends a good deal of time each fall watching and mentoring Crane volleyball players.

Seated in a place of honor to watch the volleyball tournament, Otley listened as Judy Crisafi, another former player, read a brief history of Otley’s volleyball coaching career and her accomplishments.

As the applause began to die down, Otley smiled and said, “No one will ever know what this means to me.”

Hopefully, Otley knows what she means to those she touched in their lives.