There are successful coaches in sports…and then there’s Bayside Academy’s Ann Schilling.

The longtime leader of the Admirals’ vaunted volleyball program, Schilling’s reputation precedes her.

After all, she currently ranks third nationally in all-time career wins with 1,813, can claim a whopping 28 state titles to her name and led Bayside to a national record of 21 straight championships from 2002-2022.

But while she boasts a résumé few will ever be able to match, Schilling’s primary focus has always been on molding her players into the best people they can be.

“It’s not all about winning, it’s about teaching life through volleyball,” Schilling said. “We always stress that we care more about them as individuals than anything else, and if you have good people and kids, then you’re going to be successful.”

And the players are a direct reflection of that mission, as the veterans within the program have grown accustomed to receiving plenty of off-court instruction to go along with Schilling’s on-court expectations. 

“What’s made her so successful is that she teaches us everything she’s gone through with the sport,” senior defensive specialist Julia Savage said. “And the other thing is that she doesn’t only talk about volleyball, she likes teaching us about life outside of sports and encourages us more in that aspect than she does volleyball.”

SEC Athlete Turned Legendary Leader

But to understand Schilling’s legacy, one must first travel back to when the coach first discovered her passion for volleyball.

Growing up in nearby Mobile, Schilling found her way to the hardwood through the area’s Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), and she gradually became enthralled by volleyball.

“The more you play, the more you grow to love the sport,” Schilling said. “And so then I went to McGill-Toolden to play in high school before walking on at Auburn.”

However, Schilling actually walked on to play for the Tigers’ basketball team, as she had offers to play either sport out of high school but wanted to be at the SEC school.

Fortunately for Schilling, the University reinstated its volleyball program during her fifth year, and thus she was able to suit up for Auburn in that regard as well.

“I didn’t play a lot, but I learned a lot,” Schilling said of her time as a Tiger.

When her days of being an outside hitter came to an end, Schilling didn’t have any designs on becoming a coach and instead began looking for jobs in the corporate world.

But the court came calling, and Schilling simply couldn’t refuse the allure of getting back on the hardwood.

“My high school coach’s husband was an athletic director at Bayside,” Schilling said. “When I graduated, I had interviewed at some big corporations with my public administration degree, but then he called me and said ‘Hey, we’re looking for a volleyball coach/PE teacher.”

Jumping at the chance to get back into sports, Schilling interviewed and quickly secured the job in 1987. 

And as they say, the rest is history.

“39 years later, I still haven’t gotten fired yet,” Schilling said with a laugh.

The Makings Of A Dynasty

Through nearly four decades of coaching, Schilling has created one of the most successful programs in the country, as Bayside volleyball is the national all-time leader with 31 state titles to its name.

But of course, Schilling always emphasizes that it takes a village to maintain the standard that the Lady Admirals have created over the years.

“The people surrounding me have always been great, from my assistant coaches to the athletic directors to the principals,” Schilling said. “It’s like one huge family. The parents have always been super supportive and the buy-in is there.”

And while Bayside has shifted classifications and regions due to the never-ending restructuring of athletics in the state, Schilling takes pride in challenging her team with a difficult schedule each year.

As a result, her squads are generally among the most battle-tested come playoff time, and the 2026 team currently owns a 17-7 overall record after taking down Mobile Christian on Tuesday night.

“We’re playing stiff competition, which we’ve been doing forever,” Schilling said. “And we’re smaller, but we’re sitting in first place within our region right now.”

Constantly dealing with the expectations and pressures of playing for such a prestigious program can weigh on a high school athlete, but Bayside’s players explained that strong bonds and a positive atmosphere makes doing so easy.

“When I go into a practice, I expect effort and coaching,” senior outside hitter Reece Wilmott, who has played for Schilling since the seventh grade, said. “And it’s not coaching where she just tells you it’s your fault, she encourages you while holding us to a standard.”

To that point, Schilling has made a positive impact on a plethora of players over the years, and her current Admirals have plenty of fond memories they look back upon.

“I got pulled up to be on varsity during my eighth-grade year, and we ended up winning state,” Savage said. “That was amazing.”

Meanwhile, Wilmott is reminded of her first impressions of Coach Schilling often, which occurred at the renowned Bayside volleyball summer camps.

“My memory dates back to when I didn’t even go to school here. I went to Orange Beach, but I used to always come to Bayside volleyball camps because of how awesome they were,” Wilmott said. “I was in fifth grade, and I remember her putting her hands on my head during a camp and telling me ‘Good job.’ She still does that, so it’s just very memorable for me.”

Beyond The Court

For Schilling, she’s always thrilled to see her players develop athletically, but in the long term, she’s far happier to see them grow up and take on different responsibilities in life.

“I love knowing that my kids are successful in anything they’re doing, whether they’re mothers, wives, lawyers, doctors, etc.,” Schilling said. “I can honestly say I don’t think any kids that have come through here haven’t been successful in what they do, and that’s what I take pride in.”

But while the Lady Admirals’ program comes off as a focused, serious entity, Schilling also heavily promotes laughter and camaraderie among her players.

“I think it was my freshman year, and we were breaking out of our huddle and Coach Schilling goes: ‘Spray tans on three!’” Savage said with a smile. “It was around Homecoming time, and so she’ll always say things like that which bring joy to the group.”

Whether it’s playfully poking fun at her players’ appearances or encouraging them to finish the job, Schilling has provided plenty of notable quips over the years.

“Whenever we’re up against really good competition and we’re winning at the end of a set, she’ll always say to ‘put the nail in the coffin,’” Wilmott said. “It’s kind of a way to say end it cleanly and quickly.”

Given the amount of winning Bayside has done in the past 39 years, it’s safe to say that there are plenty of nails in that coffin.

Leaving A Legacy

The many victories, championships and gaudy statistics will almost certainly steal the headlines, but when it comes to Schilling’s legacy, she wants individuals to remember her messages and impact off the court as much as anything else.

“I hope they say I was fair and that I gave people a shot,” Schilling said. “And hopefully that I was able to teach the kids how to play for a higher purpose, because our motto is ‘To God be the glory in all things.’ So we want them to play for God, each other and this school.”

The longtime coach went on to emphasize that one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is hearing from past players after they have long since left the school, as she’s been pleasantly surprised by the long-term effect she’s been able to have on them.

“Years later you’ll hear back from kids that you don’t think you got through to,” Schilling said. “And those are usually the ones you impacted the most.”

As for her coaching future, Schilling explained that she sees no tangible end in sight. Instead, she’s willing to let retirement take its natural course and maintain a year-to-year mindset.

“I’m just leaving it up to God. I think he’ll tap me on the shoulder and say ‘Hey, it’s time,’” Schilling said. “I think the day that I don’t enjoy going into the gym and practicing, then I’ll know, and I’ll have no regrets. I’ve enjoyed every single minute at this school, because it’s been a blessing.”

In the meantime, the most accomplished Admiral of them all will continue to lead her team, one win at a time.

“I think people will definitely think about the volleyball aspect, but they’ll see more than that,” Savage said of her coach’s legacy. “They’ll talk about the way she encouraged us and helped us grow as people, because it’s always been said it takes a certain type of person to go through four years of Bayside volleyball.”