You might call her the volleyball fairy. As a volunteer, helping coach 75 kids on the Rogue Valley YMCA's teams in Medford, Kathy Symonds quickly learned they had only eight volleyballs — clearly not enough — so this retired, disabled former coach for many all-state high school teams in Connecticut decided to contact her network of friends.

Within days, a landslide of brand new volleyballs began appearing at her Talent doorstep — and the happy Y teams, for ages 8 to 12, were back in business.

"Kids and volleyball are the loves of my life," says Symonds, 52, who retired here to be near her parents after total hip replacement.

Symonds e-mailed her friend Debbie Chin, director of athletics at University of New Haven, noting the Y has little funding for equipment and "if I could donate the money, I would. However, I am trying to survive on my disability retirement pension. It breaks my heart that I cannot contribute more than just my volunteer efforts."

Chin spearheaded the drive to get volleyballs and old uniforms, which came from Symonds' former students, the coach who replaced her and the parents and grandparents of present volleyball team members at her old school, Amity High in Woodbridge, Conn.

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As an incentive prize, Symonds obtained a football signed by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, husband of a former volleyball student of hers. To date, 71 volleyballs have arrived, almost enough for every Y player to have one.

Symonds coached Amity girls volleyball for 14 years, racking up a 93 percent win record. She coached the boys' team for nine years and won five state titles. She has been inducted into the Connecticut Volleyball Hall of Fame and was written up in Sports Illustrated in 1990 as one of the "Faces in the Crowd."

Symonds undergoes extensive rehab therapy at the Ashland Y and volunteers with the Medford Y, teaching coaches how to coach volleyball players. She is also mentoring a player at North Medford High School.

"The Medford Y is a very proud Y but they are financially challenged," says Symonds. "I'm very grateful they've given me this opportunity to help with teams. I'm overwhelmed by the support and caring of my friends and colleagues in Connecticut. It's an amazing thing."

John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at jdarling@jeffnet.org.