Every Angle of the Game: A Player, a Coach, an Official with Ellie Proksell

Ellie (Burns) Proksell has seen the biggest stage in Pennsylvania volleyball from every possible angle. A state champion player at Clarion, she went on to win five more state titles as an assistant coach at North Allegheny — one of the winningest programs in PIAA history — before picking up a whistle and becoming a certified official. In November 2025, she worked the PIAA A and AA state championships as both a stand official and a line judge in the same day. In this episode, Ellie talks about what it's like to compete for a title, coach for one, and now officiate one — and how each role has taught her something different about the game she grew up with. She also opens up about her family's deep roots in Pennsylvania volleyball, balancing motherhood with coaching and officiating.