Big Hitter Now Chelsea Show-Stopper

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half

October 8, 2015

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half 

CHELSEA – Emma Hess has spent much of her young life chasing dreams and overcoming odds.

Too young to be involved with the volleyball team? She became a ball girl and manager for the Chelsea High School varsity as a fifth-grader.

Too inexperienced to get a part in a movie? She has been in three movies and moved to California for a year to pursue acting before she decided to return to Chelsea.

Too short to be an outside hitter on the varsity volleyball team? She played on a club volleyball team, took jump training to help elevate her leaping ability and made the Class B all-state team as a junior outside hitter.

Now a senior, the 5-foot-8 Hess is leading Chelsea to another fine season. The Bulldogs are 20-8 and ranked No. 7 in the latest Class B state poll.

Learning the game

Being the daughter of a former setter at Ohio University, Hess was introduced to volleyball at a young age and had the passion to play. Mary Jo Hess, Emma’s mother, was the seventh-grade coach, so Emma had a chance to be manager as a third-grader.

Two years later, she was doing the same thing for Chelsea coach Laura Cleveland’s varsity team.

Cleveland wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the little girl with a big smile when they first met.

“I saw a small little kid, but the biggest thing I saw in Emma – she had a great smile – was that she had a great attitude for learning,” Cleveland said. “When she came in when I was coaching, she would listen to what I was saying, and she would watch the girls and watch the demonstrations and then she would go over and practice it.

“She has a love for the game, and she has an attitude for learning. I think she always had a passion for it since she was little. She made the decision to pursue the passion, and it’s really turned out terrific for her in terms of being able to enjoy playing and playing at a high level because she has put in so much work.”

Hess began playing organized volleyball in the seventh grade, but at the same time she had another dream. After watching several movies on the Disney Channel, Hess told her mother that she wanted to become an actress.

In front of the camera

Sam and Mary Jo Hess listened to their daughter and decided to help her achieve her dream.

“I didn’t they took me seriously, but my mother found me an agent in Michigan, and I got a couple of jobs,” Hess said.

Mary Jo Hess conceded that there was some apprehension about letting Emma pursue acting at such a young age.

“I never would have pursued it for her if I hadn’t gone and seen about getting an agent and heard from some real professionals in the business that were saying, ‘This is really something you should do,’ ” Mary Jo Hess said. “I wanted her to play volleyball since she was a little girl, so when the acting thing came along, I wasn’t expecting that at all.

“We wanted to make sure if this was something she would pursue later, we wanted to know the right people and have her in the right place and make sure she would be taken care of. The worst thing that could have happened is, if we hadn’t done that, when she graduates high school she leaves and you hear about a lot of people who get manipulated.”

In a short amount of time, Hess was able to get three movie credits: “Smooch,” “James and Jenna” and “Home Run Showdown” were filmed in 2011 and 2012. She was credited as Emma-Lee Hess.

“She had a ton of success early,” Mary Jo Hess said. “I had heard a quote that said, ‘It’s typically 45 auditions before you book something,’ and by her fifth audition she had booked something that was a good gig for a commercial.”

Perhaps the largest hurdle of the three movies was landing the role in “Home Run Showdown,” which had more than 1,000 kids audition for parts – and Hess was the only girl on a story surrounding a Little League baseball team. It was filmed mostly in the Michigan towns of Milford and Taylor and also in Toledo, Ohio, and the cast was headlined by recognizable actors Dean Cain and Matthew Lillard.

“It wasn’t really big, but it paid money,” Hess said. “It was an experience, and it was really fun. I spent my whole summer with about 30 guys playing baseball and was the only girl.

“I also did a Hallmark movie called ‘Smooch,’ which plays on Valentine’s Day normally, and I also did a short film called ‘James and Jenna.’ I got to meet some really cool people on that.”

So, in the eighth grade, Hess moved to California to pursue acting, but she soon discovered that the business side of it was extremely tough, and she returned home after a year.

“I really wanted to pursue the TV aspect of it, but there was so much rejection out there, and I guess I wanted to do something where I would be rewarded,” Hess said. “I wanted people to know my name in acting, and because it wasn’t happening at the pace that I wanted, I decided to focus on something else, so volleyball became my motivation.

“Being in a town like this, people know me for the movies a little bit, but being known for volleyball is really important to me. Volleyball became my motivation.”

Above the net

In the ninth grade, Hess returned to Chelsea and returned to volleyball. She made the junior varsity team, but she was an outside hitter and not a setter as her mother had hoped.

“Mom wanted to raise a setter, but she has her daddy’s leaps, so I had to let that go,” said Mary Jo Hess, who is an assistant coach on the varsity. “When she was a freshman and setting on the JV, a short time afterward Coach Cleveland moved her, and that was OK, and of course I defer to her for everything.”

Cleveland saw something special in Hess despite being a few inches shorter than ideal for an outside hitter.

“As a freshman, we tried her as a setter, but then I thought, ‘No, that one’s a hitter,’” Cleveland said. “The thing about volleyball is that height would be great, but really it’s speed, and Emma has speed. If you’re fast and jump well and are faster than the block, those are things you really want.”

Although Hess is able to elevate above the net and delivers some powerful kills, her game is not all about speed and power. She has excellent vision and often will place the ball in a vacant spot on the court with a softer hit for a kill.

“I have a height disadvantage, especially being on the outside where most sets go to,” she said. “I really try to beat people at their own game, so if you’re not going to be on the line, I’m going to shoot it there.

“I try to read beforehand and pick out things that I know they’re not going to be able to pick up. That’s a big part. Being able to tip smart is really important. I have to go up and jump really high, and I use everything I’ve got to get up, and I swing hard. I don’t want them to be able to touch it because that’s the best feeling, getting a kill.”

Hess made varsity as a sophomore, and last year she made all-state as a junior.

“I love hitting a ball that no one touches, and even if there is a block, knowing that at my height and at that disadvantage, to take advantage of another team like that is great,” Hess said. “You get so excited, and the crowd pushes you so much.”

Never satisfied, Hess then set another goal for this season.

“This year, I want to run the defense and have the most kills,” she said.

Cleveland confirmed that the latest challenge is another win for Hess.

“She really is reading well and is in the right positions, and that is one of her biggest assets,” Cleveland said. “That’s both offensively and defensively.”

Hess wants to continue playing volleyball in college and has talked with Ferris State, Northwood and Eastern Michigan. She has a 3.977 grade point average, so academics won’t be a problem. Ambition won’t be a problem, either.

“I definitely want to do something in political and social studies and maybe major in political science,” Hess said. “And then I want to go to law school.”

It might not be wise to bet against her.

Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Chelsea's Emma Hess hits during a match this season. (Middle) Hess played a prominent role in the 2012 film "Home Run Showdown." (Below) Hess goes high over the net on a kill attempt. (Photos courtesy of the Hess family.)

VIDEOS: Below are a video of Hess' highlights and also the trailer for "Home Run Showdown." Hess plays the role of Fassi. 

After Injury Brings Past Standout Home, Slack Takes Milan on Historic Trip

By Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com

November 21, 2023

MILAN – Makenna Slack turned 21 in August, just days before she started her first season as the Milan volleyball coach.  

Southeast & BorderLittle did she know that four months later she would lead the Big Reds to their greatest season in school history. 

“I think this season, this run, over the last three weeks, as a Milan player or coach, this was the biggest high I’ve seen from the Milan program,” Slack said. “It was an amazing run and amazing year. It was the best way we could have represented Milan.”  

Milan never had won back-to-back District championships before these last two seasons, and never had won a Regional title. Slack’s Big Reds ended up going 29-7-2, finished second in the Huron League behind perennial power Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, won District and Regional titles and reached the Semifinals at Kellogg Arena.  

Milan ended up bowing out with a loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic, ending the season as one of the four remaining teams left in Division 2. 

How the Big Reds got there made the postseason run even more remarkable.  

Slack played four varsity seasons at Milan after moving to the area in eighth grade. She went on to play volleyball at Olivet College but suffered a devastating knee injury that cut short her career. She had knee reconstruction surgery. 

“I basically couldn’t walk or drive for six months,” she said. “The recovery was going to take a year and a half to get back to being an athlete. I decided to cut my losses and moved home.” 

Milan varsity volleyball coach Kathy Bradshaw knew Slack was home again and asked if she was interested in coaching. Bradshaw got the idea because she was the junior varsity coach at Milan when Slack was a senior player on the team. 

“I was the varsity captain, and I’d come down and help run the practices sometimes,” Slack said. “That’s where I think she saw me as maybe a coach.” 

It wasn’t her first coaching opportunity. While in high school she coached club volleyball as a way to earn extra money. 

“As a high schooler, I didn’t really realize it, but I took on a little bigger role than most high schoolers do,” she said. “I had my own team, and we went to tournaments and stuff. It started there. It came natural to me. I felt comfortable teaching kids.” 

Slack surveys her team's play during its first trip to Kellogg Arena.She was the Milan JV coach for one season, then Bradshaw’s assistant in 2022 when Milan won its first District title since 1999 and reached the Regional Final. Not long after last season, Bradshaw stepped down but encouraged Slack to apply for the head coaching position. Slack wasn’t sure. 

“It seemed like a lot, and I’m so young,” Slack said.  

“I ended up applying and got the job. After really thinking about it, I ended up taking it. We have a huge support system in the community. The athletic director is amazing, there is a really good booster group. Feeling the support all around me, I ended up taking the job.” 

She had her 21st birthday during the annual MHSAA preseason downtime at the start of August. The following week she was running tryouts for the volleyball team. 

Milan had a good season. 

“When we were going through league play, we were a solid unit,” she said. “We would win the games we were supposed to win and lose the games we were supposed to lose. It became a little robotic. We weren’t really challenged. No one really challenged us, and we never really challenged anyone.” 

Then came the District tournament and a first-round match against Lenawee County Athletic Association champion Adrian Madison. Madison took the first two sets, but Milan rebounded to win three straight and the match. Slack was surprised. She’s still not sure if the Big Reds upset Madison or if Milan was the favorite. 

“That was such a huge moment,” she said. “It was very fulfilling. It felt like we were on top. Our postseason run was for sure the highlight of our season. The girls maxed out, their energy was maximum. It was definitely our highlight.” 

Milan took another step the following week by winning the Regional, then beat Dearborn Divine Child in the Quarterfinals. 

“The girls are an amazing group,” she said. “It’s the best group we’ve had since I’ve been there. The team bonding was strong, the camaraderie was strong. I have a lot of athletes on my team that understand goals and the process you have to do to get to the goal. Having a lot of athletes on board for the full ride made the difference.” 

The Big Reds had just three seniors, including their best all-around player in Courtney Nye. They will return Malea Wourman, named the team’s best offensive player, and Lauryn Parris, named the team’s top defensive player.  

Slack will graduate from Wayne State University soon and is unsure what her future holds. If she gets a job in the financial field, for example, her coaching career might be over. 

“It’s really up in the air right now,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m going to move on with my life or stay in the coaching game. It’s a weird spot to be in.” 

Slack loved her time at Milan, both as a player and being part of the coaching staff. If she does have to give it up for now, she can see herself returning to the sidelines someday. If not, she can step aside knowing she helped Milan to its biggest volleyball achievement to date.  

“Working with young athletes and being able to guide them is something I truly enjoy,” she said. “I’m thinking at some point I’ll be back into the coaching game.”

Doug DonnellyDoug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Milan volleyball coach Makenna Slack, kneeling, huddles with her team during last week's Division 2 Semifinal. (Middle) Slack surveys her team's play during its first trip to Kellogg Arena.