Dominican (Louisiana) volleyball family affair ends in yet another state title: Buck's Ballpark
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA - Predictably, there was emotion on the court and even at the postgame press conference for the Dominican volleyball team.
Dominican had just survived a hard-fought four-set win against its rival, Mount Carmel Academy, to win the Division I championship, the program’s fourth consecutive state title, on Nov. 11 at the Cajundome. That fourth set turned out to be excellent volleyball theater, a twisting and turning ride for both teams with a score that advanced into the 30s.
Finally, on a championship point for Dominican, senior standout outside hitter Cam Chatellier placed a kill that landed inside the right sideline that a Cubs’ player was unable to get into position to return it, the 595th kill Cam made this season and the 1,497th for her career.
The fourth set ended 33-31. Four in a row for Dominican.
Dominican 'four-peats' as Division I volleyball champion after surviving epic fourth set
And Cam Chatellier - named the Most Outstanding Player after registering 21 kills - looked at her coach in amazement of what they were able to accomplish. Her coach, and her mother, Jessica Chatellier.
“I’m definitely so blessed to have this ride with her,” an emotional Cam said postgame. “I thank God every day I get the opportunity to play for her.
“We’ve had some hard moments, but really, I can’t even count the amount of days that I’ve been so joyful to play for her and just be with her every moment.”
Dominican senior outside hitter Cam Chatellier (left) was awarded the Most Outstanding Player following her team's Division I state championship win on Nov. 11, 2023.
And then on Jessica’s end of the spectrum, coaching one’s son or daughter in any sport is commonplace. Coaching one’s son or daughter to a state championship is unique.
But coaching your daughter to a state title all four seasons she was at Dominican? Beyond belief.
“It’s been incredibly special. … I’m thankful every single day I’ve been able to have this journey with her,” Jessica Chatellier said. “It started off when she was very young; she was at every single game that we played and hiding under the bench, peeking out.
“I can still remember those days when she would get into the car and try to ask me what we were trying to do for the game plan.”
Here are the top high school volleyball players in Louisiana for the 2023 season
And now, seeing Cam do her thing on the volleyball court, and for Jessica in particular the last four years, and to have it end in a celebratory dogpile with Cam and her teammates?
“Just for me to have her here and have her with me and with all the success and the growth of this program while she was here, which she’s been a huge part of, has just been absolutely incredible,” Jessica Chatellier said. “We’ve had hard days, we’ve definitely have had challenging moments and it’s been challenging for us and from the outside as well, but it’s really been a beautiful process for both of us and I can’t imagine not having this opportunity with her.
“She has made me a better coach, she has made me realize things that I didn’t realize prior to having a kid on the team, and I just think it’s made me and our program that much better.”
Archbishop Hannan gets revenge with sweep of E.D. White for Division III volleyball title
Maybe the biggest progression Cam has made in her four years playing for her mother was in becoming the equivalent to an assistant coach on the court.
“I think, this year, she took a turn in leadership,” Jessica Chatellier said. “She would come to me before each match and just want to know, ‘What do you need from me?’
“Prior to that, it was me going to her and telling her, ‘This is what I need,’ and she really took on that role of being an extension of me on the court.”
Natural, perhaps, being the daughter of a coach.
"She kind of always had the mindset of it, but I think just being in her senior year, being a captain, it just really came through for her to be that leader on the court,” Jessica Chatellier said. “And I think my biggest change for her, I think, is just the confidence, just knowing that she had the ability to do this and that she could lead her team in that direction.”
But it wasn’t just her daughter Jessica Chatellier was coaching during Dominican’s now run of four straight titles. Other key players, like senior setter Gabby Marcello, senior middle hitter Tamia Williams, senior outside hitter Noelie Haddad and junior libero Lauren Pipitone?
They’re like more daughters for Jessica Chatellier.
“I’ve been with them since they were very little, so this was an incredible year of seeing all of their amazing lasts I will say, because every moment of it has been amazing,” Jessica said. “Even when we took losses during the year, just to be with them, they were inspiring.
“They were able to flip back, come back, refocus and (in the semifinals on Nov. 10) we had a rough match against Slidell, and my seniors were pulled in the huddle and we were talking and they were like, ‘We can’t wait to go to practice (Saturday).’ That was just their mentality.”
St. Thomas More outlasts crosstown rival Teurlings Catholic for Division II state volleyball crown
Cam will now go to LSU, where she signed to be a part of that school’s beach volleyball team. Her brother, and Jessica’s son - Quint - is a freshman at LSU, and participated in both basketball and swimming at Haynes Academy, graduating from there in the spring.
And then there was the PA announcer at the title match, the one whose booming voice exclaimed, which could even be heard all the way up in Lincoln Parish, “Point! Dominican!” None other than John Chatellier, Jessica’s wife and Cam’s father.
“It’s definitely a family affair for sure,” Jessica said. “We’ve been in volleyball for a long time here in Louisiana.”
Louisiana state volleyball roundup: Metairie Park Country Day makes it eight straight titles
Not surprisingly, the question was broached to Jessica - when will it hit you sometime next season you won’t be coaching your daughter?
“I don’t think it’s hit me yet; it’s hit me a few times at Senior Night and things like that, but right here in this moment, I can tell you I don’t think it’s really hit me,” Jessica said. “I cried for a moment out there (following the state title win), but I think right now, I’m just so incredibly happy that I’ve been able to experience so much success with her here with me.
“It’s going to be very difficult without her next year, but I can say this, I feel like she has left a legacy that will live on here at Dominican.”
-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveLA
