Dr. Collea McKinney

Bio

Coach McKinney’s Bio

Dr. Collea Carter McKinney is a native of East Texas and an alum of John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas (recently renamed Tyler High). She began her high school career at Winona High School in Winona, Texas.

As a graduate of John Tyler High School, Coach McKinney was a four-sport athlete lettering in basketball, volleyball, track, and cross-country all four years of her high school career. There she earned All-District, All-Region, All-Conference, All-East Texas, Female Athlete of the Year (received all four years), and various other athletic and academic honors, including Who's Who Among High School Students.

Coach McKinney is in her third season as Head Volleyball Coach at Cypress Ranch High School. Prior to accepting her new role at Cy Ranch, she served as 1st Assistant for The Woodlands High School volleyball program. During her tenure, the Highlanders advanced to the 2022 State Tournament Semi-Finals and the 2021 Regional Tournament Finals.

She arrived at TWHS after serving three seasons as head coach at La Marque High School in La Marque, TX. Prior to that appointment, she served as Head Coach of the 8th Grade volleyball, basketball, and track teams at Texas High in Texarkana, TX. While there, she led the Lady Tigers to multiple district championships.

She also spent time in higher education. At Philander Smith College, she worked in various capacities within the athletic realm. She worked as a collegiate assistant volleyball coach, Assistant Athletic Director, and Sports Information Director. She also assisted with many volleyball and basketball camps, served as a club volleyball coach, and provided private lessons for aspiring volleyball and basketball players.

While she has multiple teaching certifications, her current teaching assignment is Special Education Inclusion. Dr. McKinney has 19 years of coaching experience in multiple sports (volleyball, basketball, and track). Her initial coaching assignment began in 2006 when she served as Graduate Assistant for the Henderson State University volleyball program. Her responsibilities at Henderson State included: recruiting, scouting, teaching, film exchange, practice and weight program implementation.

Being a "student first" and "athlete second" have been essential parts of her growth as her father was an ex-military teacher and preacher. Consequently, she would graduate 6th in her high school class of over 700 students. Coach McKinney began her collegiate career at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland where she lettered in basketball. She played there one year before transferring to Henderson State University where she became a two-sport athlete, lettering in basketball and volleyball.

During her athletic tenure at HSU, the Lady Reddie basketball team finished the season with a 22-12 record (after a 4-11 starting record) and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2004, the Sweet Sixteen Division II tournament in 2006, and the Elite Eight in 2007.

Dr. McKinney earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Henderson State University in 2006, a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Henderson State University in 2007, and an Educational Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University in January of 2013.

Coach McKinney brings to Cypress Ranch High School her own personal mantras...“Bloom where you are planted” (Joel Osteen) and “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). She is a strong advocate for her students, and she believes all students have the capacity to learn. Her greatest pleasure in teaching and coaching is being able to watch students grow. When her student-athletes have an "aha" moment—that moment when they acquire a skill and become confident within their skillset, it makes her extremely proud to witness their growth and success.

Coach McKinney coaches with passion, intensity, and care. She is adamant about teaching her student-athletes the standard of doing things correctly and with pride. She believes success is a combination of action, tenacity, and resilience. Therefore, a strong work ethic, self-discipline, accountability, focus, and a team-first mentality are the cornerstones of success for her teams.

In addition to building this team's culture and environment, Coach McKinney prides herself on being a coach who can relate to and earn the trust of her players. By taking time to get to know her players individually – their personalities, what motivates them, what drives them; she pledges to create an environment where confidence in the process and in the team is established.

When everyone is working towards the same goal with the same energy and commitment, success will follow. It is important that the team functions like an intricate puzzle, knowing that each player (piece) is essential in fulfilling the big picture (primary team goal). She holds her team members to a high standard because they’ve chosen to participate in something that requires more – more time, more passion, more energy, more drive, more vulnerability, more growth.

Dr. McKinney and her husband, Jewell Anton McKinney, Jr. are both coaches. They have a sixteen-year-old son, Jewell Anton McKinney, III, and an eleven-year-old son, Clarence Carter McKinney. They also have two fur babies, Bella (an eight-year-old Chiweenie) and Bleu (a three-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier). She is driven by the love of her family and the high expectations set by her mother, Dr. Adalene Carter, and father, the late Rev. Clarence C. Carter.