Since Suzanne Marble took over as La Conner’s head volleyball coach 30 years ago, the only true opponent to the Braves’ perennial dominance has been a global pandemic. Even the chaos of COVID-19, which closed the courts for over a year, could only shut down Marble’s fearsome rotations for so long. Once restrictions were lifted, the Braves continued their ownership of the Northwest League, District 1, and the rest of Washington state high school volleyball.

In her three decades as head coach, Marble redefined success in Washington state sports, creating an expectation of greatness that transcends the volleyball court. A hallmark of consistency and loyalty, Marble has led the La Conner Braves to 24 league championships, including a streak of 21 consecutive titles dating back to 2002.

Beyond the borders of the Northwest League, Marble rattled off 16 consecutive titles at the district level between 2005 and 2022, collecting 18 total District 1 championships since 1997. Of course, she wouldn’t have perhaps the most prolific resume in Washington volleyball history if it weren’t for her dominance at the highest level. With seven total State Championship-winning seasons, including the past four in a row, Marble’s squads have owned the podium at the Yakima SunDome.

In addition to their seven gold medals, Marble’s teams have combined for 11 more top-eight finishes, including five silver and two bronze medals. In 2022, she finished off her remarkable coaching career atop the podium with her daughter Ellie for the third consecutive season, capping off a mother-daughter success story of fairytale caliber.

In total, La Conner volleyball recorded 558 total wins under Marble’s tutelage and made 27 consecutive State Tournament appearances, earning Academic State Champion status three times along the way. Marble was named Northwest A/B League Coach of the Year 13 times to go along with her three State Coach of the Year plaques. For her efforts, she was inducted into the Washington State Coaches Association (WSCA) Hall of Fame in 2015 and earned Skagit Valley Herald Coach of the Year in 2019.

On top of her contributions to the La Conner community, Marble has lent her services outside of her own team and region, serving as a member of the WSCA for 26 years and presenting at the All-Sports Clinic three times. In 2022, Marble was recognized as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Regional and National Coach of the Year. But for all of her success on the courts, Marble’s greatest interest – and longest lasting achievement – has been her impact on the lives of the young women she coaches.

“To this day,” said Kirsty Croghan, one of Marble’s longtime colleagues, “many of Suzanne’s former players call her and thank her for believing in them and showing them that they can achieve goals they never dreamed were feasible.”