It’s not often that you get to witness two completely different eras collide on screen. Yet that’s exactly what happened on Inside The Coaching Mind podcast by former Nebraska Volleyball coach Terry Pettit. The man who helmed the Nebraska ship from 1977 to 1999 earned the program their first national title. Now, it’s Dani Busboom Kelly’s turn to define a new era, but the transition hasn’t been easy.

Terry Pettit summed up perfectly while chatting with DBK. “We read about the major stresses in life, and three of them are moving, having a baby, and getting a new job. Okay. You’ve had all three in the last six months,” said the legendary coach, making Kelly chuckle. John Cook’s predecessor asked how that challenge has made her “a better coach” and hoped that Coach Kelly would shed some light on balancing pregnancy, motherhood, and coaching.

“I don’t know if it makes me a better coach. I think it helps me relate to our players a little bit better,” said the humble Huskers head coach. Motherhood is nothing new to Dani Busboom Kelly as she was already raising her now-three-year-old son Boone. “I think it helped certainly at Louisville, maybe not as much at Nebraska yet, but it helped me relate to our staff,” DBK told the 79-year-old.

“I’m not a very empathetic person by nature, but I think being a mom has brought that out in me. I think that’s been really good for coaching,”  the former Louisville Cardinals’ head coach told Terry Pettit. The 40-year-old coach also explained that the incredibly hectic schedule of bringing her second child into the world, whilst caring for her family and coaching, has taught her two valuable lessons.

“Time management is so important, but on top of that, just the communication. I work really hard and remind myself consistently to make sure my team and my staff know what I’m doing,” revealed Dani Busboom Kelly. If she is planning to skip camp to spend some time with her son, Kelly makes sure that everyone is in the loop. And that approach, in turn, prevents others from hesitating before sharing something as well. Needless to say, this sort of transparency is crucial considering the challenges that await Kelly and the rest of the team.

Dani Busboom Kelly’s next big test is almost here

Long-time coach and four-time NCAA title winner John Cook’s retirement was a massive surprise for even the Nebraska volleyball athletes. “I think it was all of the emotions,” Bergen Reilly said a week after John Cook stepped away from coaching after 25 years at Nebraska. “I mean, we found out within a span of two minutes that coach was leaving, and Danny was coming,” she added.

Yet, despite the challenges, the transition has been smooth. “With Dani having things be a little bit different. Practice plans were different, the way we run warm-ups and everything is different,” Harper Murray said about Dani Busboom Kelly, but the team has adjusted as time has progressed. In fact, the Huskers impressed fans in their triumphant spring games. But the real test is about to begin.

Nebraska is among the top teams that’ll kick off the 2025 season with the AVCA Showcase on August 22. Top-tier teams, like Texas and Pittsburgh, including defending champions Penn State, will be part of the showcase. While this tournament won’t lead to any titles, it will give everyone an early-season impression of the team.

Needless to say, Dani Busboom Kelly will be looking to prove that she hasn’t lost a beat after moving from Louisville to Nebraska during the off-season. However, one thing’s for sure: the mother of two will learn from the upcoming test in her rookie season as Nebraska’s coach, just like motherhood has taught her some valuable lessons.