A New Era Begins: Head Coach Alisha Childress Sets the Tone for the 2026 Mojo
MLV San Diego Mojo

A New Era Begins: Head Coach Alisha Childress Sets the Tone for the 2026 Mojo

Published on December 5, 2025 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
San Diego Mojo News Release


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Mojo began training camp with a new leader at the center of it all. Head Coach Alisha Childress, a former U.S. Olympic medalist who was still competing at a high level just a year ago, stepped into her first season guiding the franchise with a focus on connection, clarity and competitiveness.

From the first team meeting, her message set the tone.

"This group showed up ready," Childress said. "They want to be connected and they want to work. That is the foundation we need as we build this season."

Players Feel the Impact Immediately

For outside hitter Kendra Dahlke, a San Diego product now in her third year with the Mojo, Childress' presence was felt right away.

"She understands the game on a deep level," Dahlke said. "She sees things quickly and explains them in a way that makes sense. With her background, she brings so much knowledge, and we are already using it in practice. The way she reads the team and helps us grow is going to matter a lot."

Asked about playing for someone who was competing professionally not long ago, Dahlke said the transition felt natural.

"My mindset is that I want to learn everything I can from her," she said. "I know how good she was as a player, and she could still be out there if she wanted to. So being able to learn from someone with that experience is really exciting."

Experience That Translates

Newcomer Jovana Brakočević, whose long career spans championships and national team success, said she knows from personal experience how demanding the leap from playing to coaching can be.

"I get it, because I coached with Serbia national team this summer," Brakočević said. "It is not easy to go from being a player to being part of the coaching staff. But she is doing a great job. She listens, she is present and she wants to understand us."

Brakočević said one of the most impressive things was how Childress chose to communicate with the team long before camp began.

"She made the effort to connect with me early, even before we met in person," she said. "That was a great approach. These first days have been really positive, and it feels like we are building something strong."

Trust Built From Shared Experience

Opposite Morgan Lewis said having a coach who played in the same league so recently has created an immediate level of trust.

"It has been great," Lewis said. "It is really nice having a coach who knows what it is like to play in this league. She understands the athlete side of it, and that helps us trust her. The way she runs practices and the way she prepares us feels very intentional."

The native San Diegan noted that the excitement has only grown as camp has progressed.

"Our meetings before we even started practicing made me excited to be here," she said. "She has been amazing. You can tell she wants the best for us and for this team."

The Start of Something New

As camp continues, Childress believes the early commitment and connection will anchor the team through the season ahead.

"We want to represent San Diego with pride," she said. "Every day we are building something that lasts. It starts with communication, trust and a willingness to grow together."

The players see it too. They feel the shift, the clarity and the fresh direction.

And as the Childress era begins, the message is simple: this is only the beginning.

2026 Season Information

The 2026 Major League Volleyball season begins in January, with the Mojo opening on January 8 in Omaha before returning to Viejas Arena for a marquee Opening Night matchup against the defending champion Orlando Valkyries on January 11. Mojo fans can purchase single game tickets now at LetsGoMojo.com. For more information, contact the team at tickets@letsgomojo.com or call 619-984-6656 (MOJO).

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Volleyball Stories from December 5, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central