Volleyball fans who have attended Elkhorn North matches this season may have noticed a familiar face on the bench.
Kirsten Bernthal Booth stepped down as head coach of Creighton volleyball in April after 22 years, but the game has drawn her back to the bench this fall as she joined the Elkhorn North coaching staff as an assistant for her daughter Hayden’s senior season.
Though playing for a parent can carry its own challenges, Hayden said she’s enjoyed having her mom on staff.
Elkhorn North senior Hayden Booth during a volleyball match at Skutt Catholic High School on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Photo by Collin Stilen.
“I think it’s really nice to have her on the bench and giving me and all the other players feedback,” Hayden told NebPreps. “I also think it’s good because last fall, I didn’t get to see her as often and stuff. So now, I’m getting to see her more, and she’s being my coach. So it’s been good.”
Kirsten said it’s been “really fun” coaching her daughter.
“I’m not sure it would have been great a couple years ago, but I think as she’s gotten older, our relationship has gotten stronger,” Kirsten said. “The really good thing is we have such a great coaching staff led by Jenny Gragert, and I think Hayden hears a lot of voices in the gym, definitely not just mine. Our relationship is still good, so ultimately that’s the most important part, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
Hayden said that Kirsten’s coaching experience at Creighton has helped her in many different ways.
“I think that her experience at Creighton is just great, because she has so many things that I would have never even thought of,” Hayden said. “Just random tips and things that we can improve on as a team that she’s learned from all of her years coaching at Creighton.”
Volleyball runs in the Booth family, with Hayden’s sister Reese currently playing at Northern Iowa. During her freshman season, the setter played in every match, totaling 565 assists, 185 digs, 26 service aces and 18 kills while splitting time in a 6-2 system with senior Sydney Golden. This season, Reese has started all 16 matches for the 11-5 Panthers, rotating with freshman Kate Shafer while averaging 6.04 assists and 2.54 digs per set.
The younger Booth said she’s enjoyed learning from her sister, whom she succeeded as Elkhorn North’s starting setter last season.
“Having an older sister to look up to and kind of push myself to be like her has been great, just always training together and just having someone to motivate me,” Hayden said.
Over the years, Kirsten has gotten to watch the sisters’ relationship develop firsthand.
“It has evolved,” Kirsten said. “I would say when they were younger, they fought a lot, but I would say at this point, they get along pretty well.”
Kirsten said she’s enjoyed watching Reese on the court as well.
Kirsten Booth during a volleyball match at Skutt Catholic High School on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Photo by Collin Stilen.
“She’s loving her experience at Northern Iowa,” Coach Booth said. “She’s surrounded with great teammates and great coaches, and that’s been really fun to see her commanding a court out there. They’ve had some good success, and that’s been fun.”
Bernthal Booth’s day job these days is with LOVB Nebraska, where she accepted the president of business operations position following her resignation at Creighton. Joining the Elkhorn North staff has allowed her to scratch that coaching itch while also focusing on her new role.
“I’m really enjoying my new job,” Bernthal Booth said. “It’s very different. I’m in a big learning curve, but we all want volleyball to succeed, so if I can be a part of growing a league that makes pro volleyball sustainable in our country, that’s going to be pretty awesome.”
Next year, Hayden will join her sister in the Missouri Valley Conference after committing to the Bradley Braves. She’s averaging 10.1 assists and 2.0 digs per set with 26 aces for the 18-4 Wolves. For now, she’s soaking up as much information as she can from her mother and the other coaches to get ready for college.
“For myself, one of my biggest focuses has been blocking,” Hayden said. “I’ve been working on it a lot in practice. With my mom today, we even were at Elkhorn North getting in more reps. We worked on our blocking, and then I also want to work on my defense, just getting deeper on my defense.”
The Wolves are heading into the stretch run of the season, with the Eastern Midlands Conference Tournament coming up on Saturday. With one Booth on the court and another on the bench, they’ll be a tough out this postseason.
