For young athletes who get discouraged, former Sarcoxie High School volleyball standout Chelsea Taylor Corp is a great example of why you should keep fighting the good fight. You see, as she reached middle school and high school, her path crossed with the right coaches and, after her sophomore year, she hit a growth spurt.
“They were all encouraging,” Corp said of coaches Beverly Kropf, Dennis Drumm and Bryon Stevens. “I felt like they believed in me.”
Now her career is being remembered by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which will recognize Corp with a Wynn Award during its Women’s Sports Luncheon presented by the Bee Payne-Stewart Foundation. The luncheon is at 11 a.m. March 30 at the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield. A sponsorship table of eight is $400 while an individual ticket is $40 and a head table ticket is $100. For tickets, or congratulatory ads in the printed program, call the Hall of Fame at 417-889-3100.
The luncheon features the induction of the All American Red Heads Basketball Program, former Missouri Southern State University Athletic Director Sallie Beard, and two basketball coaches – Evangel University’s Leon Neal and the University of Missouri’s Dr. Joann Rutherford – as well as former Lockwood High School volleyball coach Cheryl Shores. The Hall of Fame also will bestow the President’s Award on Jodie Adams, the former director of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
Corp is among eight recipients for the Wynn Awards, named in honor of Dr. Mary Jo Wynn, the pioneer of women’s athletics at Missouri State University, a 1999 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee and 2014 Missouri Sports Legend. The awards are presented to former high school, college and pro athletes for their contributions in athletics.
A 1993 graduate of Sarcoxie High School, Corp was First Team All-State in Class 2 in volleyball as well as a First Team All-Mid-Lakes Conference, All-District and on the Joplin Globe’s All-Area team. She also was All-State, All-District and all-conference in basketball.
She then went on to compete at Missouri State University-West Plains, becoming the program’s first All-American and No. 1 in school history in attack percentage (.353). A decade later, she was inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame. At the time, she still ranked high in several statistical categories – third in kills (744), fifth in blocks (200.5) and sixth in attacking attempts (1,492).
Like most, Corp began participating in sports at a young age. Fortunately for her, she hit her growth spurt in high school. Specifically, she added two inches to her height after her sophomore year and then another 1 ½ inches after high school.
“In volleyball, my junior year, it all seemed to click,” said Corp, who finished college at West Alabama. “I just remember loving it from that point on.”
She also had a tremendous support system beyond her parents. The coaching staff made it fun. Plus, Corp’s grandmother, Erma Whitehead, rode the team bus to many of the volleyball matches. And, when she reached MSU-West Plains, Corp’s path intersected with then-coach Trish Kissiar-Knight, an eventual 2008 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Coach Knight moved her to the premier role of middle hitter.
“She saw the raw talent in me and developed me into the player I became,” Corp said. “She challenged me to reach another level and wouldn’t accept anything else, and I’m so grateful to have played for her.”
Even better, the West Plains community threw its support behind the college teams.
“I thought the (West Plains) community was amazing and supportive,” Corp said. “We felt like royalty.”
The Wynn Award recipients will be Tara Bailes (Springfield Catholic High School/Missouri State soccer), Teresa Baird Beshore (Springfield Catholic High School/University of Tulsa tennis & basketball), Chelsea Taylor Corp (Sarcoxie High School/Missouri State-West Plains volleyball), Aleah Hayes (Ozark High School/Texas Tech University/Columbia College volleyball), Tonya Choate McCall (Mount Vernon High School/Drury University/Cactus Tour golf), Amanda Newton Plotner (Republic High School/Drury University basketball), Melissa Hoffmeister Sanders (Joplin High School/University of Arkansas tennis) and Sophie Cox Stagner (Rolla High School/University of Tennessee-Martin soccer).
