Jessica Custer is the NFHS Maryland volleyball coach of the year. Her players tell why.

On Oct. 4, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association announced that the National Federation of High Schools had named Clear Spring's Jessica Custer as its 2023-24 Maryland volleyball coach of the year .

Custer has led the Blazers to three MPSSAA Class 1A state championships , including the last two. A four-set victory over Washington County rival Williamsport on Wednesday was Custer's 96th at Clear Spring as she closes in on 100 wins.

The NFHS selects coaches of the year for each state in each sport. Custer was the only Washington County coach so honored.

Following Wednesday's victory, Clear Spring players were asked to describe what stands out to them about Custer's coaching. The responses are below.

Kaisy Custer (Fr.) -- "I've been watching her coach my whole life and she's always just doing what's best for the team. She's always so energetic and knows how to bring everybody up on the court. She's so dedicated to the program."

Emma Gladhill (Jr.) -- "What stands out is her coaching style. She always tells us to be positive instead of focusing on the negative side -- just shake it off and get the next ball or (make) the next play. She focuses more on the positive side than anything else."

Madison Haupt (Sr.) -- "Even if we're down on the court, she always has energy for us. She keeps us going."

Callie Hose (Jr.) -- "What stands out is how positive she is and how she holds us accountable. She always talks to us about our mindset and makes sure we have the right mindset before each game, and she makes sure we're all mentally well. It really helps us on the volleyball court. She's just such a really positive person and is here for all of us and loves us."

Shelby Koenig (Jr.) -- "When we're coming off the court or even during a timeout, she's always positive, even if we make a mistake. She always encourages us to do our best and gives us positive feedback even if we made a bad mistake."

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Skylar Plante (Sr.) -- "She's really positive. This whole season, she's not so focused on wins. She's always said winning is not the goal, it's playing our best. If we don't come out with a win, it's OK as long as we're working hard. We've had a lot of changes on our team this year, so I think (her approach) is really helpful."

Malea Shingleton (Fr.) -- "She has made me a hard worker. I've just become a much harder worker since I've been on the team. She was a setter, so she gives me a lot of feedback in knowing where my hitters are. She's very inspiring."

Olivia Smith (Jr.) -- "I love how she knows everyone's (needed) coaching style. She's very level-headed, knows how to keep the team at a point where it needs to be and adapts to everything. She was very welcoming when I transferred here, and it's been amazing."

Hannah Vong (Jr.) -- She's all about teamwork and positivity. When we're down, she's always there to bring us up. She has that motivation and I love that about her."

Addy Zeigler (Sr.) -- "She's so positive. She's helped me find my love for volleyball again. She's always so helpful and happy, and she always has something nice to say. She gives me the best advice, and I love her."

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Jessica Custer is the NFHS Maryland volleyball coach of the year. Her players tell why.