Cindy Meekin, a former UA volleyball player, coached at Marana for 20years but decided last year was her last.

JIM DAVIS / ARIZONA DAILY STAR 2006

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With Marana High School's year starting Monday, Cindy Meekin is swamped. As a school counselor, she guides students through class changes.

For the first time in 20 years, the 51-year-old will not have volleyball to worry about.

Meekin has retired as girls volleyball coach after 20 years.

She will be replaced by new P.E. teacher Tracy Wunderlich, athletic director Joe Hajek said.

The Star caught up with Meekin to talk about retirement:

It was time. Meekin coached varsity girls all but one season, switching to JV once.

The former University of Iowa and UA volleyball player centered her decision around her daughter, Caitlin Granger.

"I had made the decision probably five years ago," she said. "My daughter was a senior last year."

The school is losing a coach, Hajek said, who cared enough about her players to hand-make season-ending awards.

"I don't know if there's another coach in Tucson that was more dedicated to every kid on the team, every kid on the program," he said.

It's hard. Marana High School students will receive a week off at the conclusion of the first quarter. It occurred to Meekin she might actually be able to enjoy the vacation.

Still, she admits that she "will miss volleyball terribly."

Although Meekin will remember playoff trips, the hardest part, she said, will be the detachment from her players — namely the senior classes.

She has attended weddings and receives birth announcements from her former players.

"Last year's seniors wrapped my car with 500 feet of Saran wrap," she said. "This was a very special class — these kids were with my daughter. I've known them since they were 5."

She might be back. Meekin is working on a master's degree in educational leadership and wants to become a principal.

She might one day return to officiating, something she did for 10 years before coaching.

And no, she does not consider that a thankless job.

"If you know the game really well, then it's not a problem," she said. "You go up there and do your job."