Gahagan makes most of second chance as COS Volleyball set to host Fresno this Friday:

Gahagan makes most of second chance as COS Volleyball set to host Fresno this Friday:

COS Athletics

COS middle blocker, Yaya Gahagan is no stranger to Fresno City College Volleyball.  Gahagen, a 2012 Tulare Union graduate (then known as Yaya Castro) played for the Rams during the fall of 2012 after being a three sport standout for the Tribe. Gahagan played at FCC for one semester before the pressure of being away from her family called her back home.

"I was 18 years old, living on my own in Fresno. The situation was not the best for me. I was relying on teammates for rides to campus and just trying to make ends meet. The overall environment was tough.  That coupled with me missing my family made me move back after the fall semester," said Gahagan. "I was ready to come home."

After moving back home in early 2013, Gahagan picked up a few different jobs, and even took a few different classes at COS. That is when her life took a few turns. "Life really ramped up in 2013, I met and married my husband Darrin and just felt I was on a different path at that point," according to Gahagan.

 In 2014, the Gahagan's had the first of their two children. Going to school, and playing volleyball again, seemed like a stretch. Gahagan continued to work, be a wife and mother, and life was going great. After the birth of their second child in 2019, Gahagen thought it was time to go back to school and pursue a career as a physical education instructor. "It was time for me to go back to school and get ready for a career. Raising a family is expensive and I want our family to have two incomes." This is where fate kicked in between Gahagan and COS Head Coach Kim Rix.

During the pandemic, while most schools were tip toeing back into in-person instruction, Kim Rix was teaching an in-person volleyball class for COS physical education students. Gahagan enrolled in the volleyball course because she needed the physical education units as a requirement for her Kinesiology degree. "I remembered her from high school while I was an assistant coach for COS. I recruited her a little back in 2012, but she had already committed to FCC. She came full circle," laughed Rix. "I considered COS back then, but the program is in such a different place right now under Coach Rix. Girls want to play here and I am thankful for the opportunity on this second chance," said Gahagan.

As the volleyball class progressed throughout the semester, Coach Rix began to believe that Yaya still had what it took to play at the college level. "She was in great condition, she has great natural athleticism, and she just brought a maturity to the game that I loved," according to Rix. "I approached her and asked her to come out for the team."

After discussing the opportunity to play at COS with her husband Darrin, Gahagan decided to go all in. "She has been 100% dedicated. She has never missed a practice or a match. I admire her for being able to handle being a full time student, athlete, mom, and wife. What an example she is!" said Rix. Gahagan is currently second on the team in kills, and first in blocks for the Giants, who are currently ranked #13 in the state. But what she brings to the team is something that doesn't show up on a stat sheet according to Coach Rix, "she brings maturity, and is never afraid to make a play during a big moment. She brings toughness."

Gahagan is not sure what next year will bring for her except she knows she is going to school. "Given I have young children I am responsible for, I need to get back in the workforce as soon as possible. So I am ready to get finished with my bachelor's degree and then begin teaching. Playing at COS this year has been so much fun, and I am so thankful for the opportunity. If I am able to play next year that would be great, but its just not that easy to pick up a family of four and move. I will just take it a semester at a time."

Gahagan, and the #13 COS Giants host #8 Fresno City this Friday at the COS Porter Field House at 6pm. General admission is $8 and seniors and students are $5.