Coach Amber Rauh-Barany went to Kean University with a double major in Education: Biology and Exercise Science. She also has an associate degree in Physical Education from Middlesex College. She has a NASM: Nutrition Coach Certification (CNC), NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT-7), as well as took courses on NASM for CPR/AED and Virtual Coaching,
REC It Volleyball Job Duties
Coach Amber has vast experience in coaching volleyball for many age groups. She is the Director of Coaching for 8+ Nike Camps held at Sportika, All Season Sports Academy, and previously at Princeton Day School. She is in charge of designing the lesson plans for all of the Nike camps as well as 20+ REC It Summer camps (2021-current). In addition to Summer Camp lesson plan production, Coach Amber also co-created all 6 levels offered by REC It Volleyball for the September- June sessions. To create a cohesive atmosphere for every level, Coach Amber trains the coaches using lesson plans that include diagrams, written descriptions, and video tutorials for drill execution.
During the winter season, Coach Amber is a tournament Director for levels such as Intro to Tournaments, Rotations levels 1 and 2, and High School Tournaments. She creates check-in forms, manages the coaches, and helps keep the tournaments on time. Coach Amber and Coach Cliff created the modifications for each level to ensure that all athletes can practice the key concepts from each level in live gameplay.
Prior Coaching and Playing Experience
Coach Amber volunteered to coach youth recreational programs from 2010 to 2014. Additionally, she was a Head Coach for major NJ youth club teams from 2015 to 2019. Amber balanced a 13 Nationals team and a 15 Local teams for multiple years, and did private lessons, to pay for her college tuition. She also directed tournaments for GEVA and held scorekeeping seminars for her club during the 2015 through 2018 seasons.
In High School, Amber played as a starting Outside Hitter for all four years and was a captain in her Junior and Senior years (2012- 2013) at Edison High School. She Leads her team in Service aces per set, kills, and digs. She received many awards. During her junior season, she was nominated for the White Division All-Star Team Three, Second Position, and Coaches Award. At the conclusion of her Senior season, she was nominated to White Division All-Star Team One, First position, captain award, and MVP.
In College, Amber was the captain of her team at Middlesex County College during her 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. She was the team's starting Outside Hitter, and she earned many awards during her collegiate career. In her Freshman season, Coach Amber was nominated to the All-GSAC Division III second team. During her 2016-17 season, Coach Amber was nominated as GSAC Player of the Week for the Region with 48 kills, 60 digs, and 19 aces in one week. Additionally, she received All-GSAC Division III First Team and All-Region Division III Second Team after her sophomore season. In 2017-18, Coach Amber became a volunteer coach for Middlesex County College. The following year, she became the Head Coach for the Women's Volleyball Program.
Other Competitive sports
Fistball: Coach Amber plays for Team USA in a sport called Fistball as the starting Setter. She is currently training for the 2024 Women's World Championships held in Argentina in November 2024. In Septemeber 2023, Coach Amber became an International Fistball Association (IFA) Certified coach, giving her the ability to recruit and train the USA u18 players. In August 2023, Coach Amber played in Jona, Switzerland, and traveled to Manheim, Germany to cheer on the Men's USA team playing in the Men's World Championships. Additionally, she competed in The 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama July 2022 against teams from New Zealand, Austria, and Switzerland. Amber was named "2023 WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR" beating out candidates from around the world. Her team traveled to Brazil to compete in the Pan American Games in October 2022.
Volleyball: Amber still plays volleyball competitively. She primarily plays as a Libero due to a rotator cuff tear, but still plays as a hitting role during youth practices and less competitive games/tournaments. In addition to women's and Co-ed indoor volleyball, Coach Amber also plays Women's, Co-ed, and Revco grass and beach doubles. She loves how well-rounded you become and recommends that every volleyball player try it.
Recreational Activities: Coaching volleyball as a full-time career can cause burnout. To keep it fresh, Coach Amber practices sports such as Pickleball, Tennis, Bowling, etc. using her nondominant hand. In addition, she loves to sew and was a 2024 FCCLA judge for the sewing evening wear competition. She loves reading audiobooks and read 40+ novels in the past year.
