Category Archives: Honorary

Pat Ryan

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Pat’s love of the game of volleyball began 30 years ago. He started playing volleyball in 1976, the fall of his senior year in high school in Northampton, MA.  There was no boys’ volleyball team, so in 1975 two boys went out for the girls’ volleyball team.  By his senior year there were actually six boys on the formerly all-girls team.

There were very few opportunities for boys to play volleyball back then and Pat subsequently played club volleyball at UMass/Amherst with his presenter, Steve Geryk.  He played college club volleyball for three years and was named to the All New England team each year and he was selected Player of the Year twice.  After finishing his collegiate club career, Pat started playing with adult teams in New England regional championships (as recently as 2006).  At the US National Championships his teams have placed as high as 3rd (highest ever for a New England team). He was named an Open Division All American four times and was also selected the 30 and over Player of the Year. One of the most memorable highlights of pat’s career was when he played on the USA Select Team at the Pacific Ocean Games in Columbia, South America in 1995 and winning a gold medal.

In 1996 Pat’s friend Steve Geryk convinced him to take the assistant coach position for the Glastonbury High School boys’ team and then to fill in with the girls’ team in the fall of the same year.  That was it… he was hooked on coaching.  In 1999 at the urging of some of his high school players and parents, Pat founded Husky Junior Volleyball Club.  Initially there were only six teams , but it has grown to be the largest USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Club in New England with 30 girls teams and three boys teams.

Pat could not pick just one person who was most influential to his volleyball career. There would be Don Matus (his high school coach) who introduced him to the sport; Dave Castanon (New England regional commissioner for USA Volleyball now) the captain/coach of Pat’s first high level team; and Steve Geryk who brought him into coaching.

F. Tyson Krause

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Tyson has a volleyball career rich in every facet of the game. Beginning with his days as a collegiate all star player at Springfield College, to coaching Boston College, Albertus Magnus and San Diego State University, where his teams consistently ranked nationally in the Top Ten in Division I. he received the FIVB Level 2 International Coaching certification as well as the USA Volleyball CAP 2 Coaching Certification.

Tyson founded and directed Score Promotions volleyball schools. At present he is founder and president of the Connecticut Junior Volleyball Assoc. The CJVA is a statewide program which has provided off season training for over seven thousand girls of varying skill levels. He is also owner of the Connecticut Sports Center in Woodbridge. The CSC is a 44,000 square foot facility dedicated to volleyball.

Dr. Ann Fariss

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Dr. Fariss began her professional teaching career at the University of Bridgeport in 1969. She has an incredible record of contribution and achievement in the areas of physical education and athletics. She was published many articles on sport and participation. She has held numerous positions on committees and AAHPERD and CAHPERD.

Some of Dr. Fariss’ achievements in volleyball include:

  • The organization and administration of the first women’s collegiate volleyball team at the University of Bridgeport;
  • Coach of the women’s volleyball and basketball teams at UB;
  • State officiating coordinator for volleyball;
  • DGWS volleyball rules interpreter;
  • Officiating judge for volleyball ratings clinics;
  • National official at six state volleyball tournaments;
  • National official at exhibition match for Women’s Sports Institute.

 

Brenda A. Reilly

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Brenda received her BA and MA in Physical Education from California State University at Los Angeles. She continued her education receiving her Doctorate in Physical Education from Springfield College.

Brenda played on the Connecticut Clippers USVA team from ’75-’79.  During that span she also worked as a NAGSW volleyball referee.

She was a member of numerous top-level softball teams including the Raybestos Brakettes.

During her tenure at CCSU, Brenda was the associate athletic director, taught Physical Education, and coached volleyball for 8 years, qualifying for the EIAW Regionals 7 times, softball and was the head women’s basketball coach for 25 years. Brenda’s coaching experiences apart from CCSU included:

  • Assistant coach of the 1991 Olympic Sports Festival Women’s basketball team;
  • The Raybestos Brakettes farm team;
  • Pitching coach for the Italian National softball team;
  • Coaching the Connecticut Falcons to two women’s professional world softball championships;
  • Coaching women’s professional softball team against the People’s Republic of China in a seven game series (7-0).

She received numerous awards for her contributions to women’s sports in Connecticut. Some include:

  • 2000 Women’s Basketball Assoc. Jostens-Berenson Service Award;
  • 1994 induction into the VFW New Britain Sports Hall of Fame (first woman)
  • 1992 Nutmeg Games Living Legend Award
  • 1990 Kodak District I Coach of the Year;
  • 1988 Connecticut Sports Writers’ Gold Key Award.

Brenda Reilly was truly an icon in women’s sports in Connecticut.

New York Times Obituary

Joan Joyce

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Joan began her association with the sport of volleyball when she attended the NAGWS 3th National Institute of Sport in 1966, which offered a sport institute to introduce the sport of “power volleyball” to various teachers and coaches. Returning from that clinic, Joan started a USVBA team in Trenton, NJ and was a player-coach using all the new techniques and strategies that she learned at the institute.

In 1968 Joan started a USVBA team in Connecticut called the Connecticut Clippers. Joan was the player-coach for the team. The Clippers traveled extensively throughout the country playing against many highly competitive teams. The team was the best in the region and represented the region at the USVBA National Tournament from 1969- 1974.

During those years, Joan became an official as well. She held NAGWS National rating and did many high school and collegiate matches.  She officiated at the AIAW Large College National Tournament at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT in 1973.

In addition to officiating, Joan conducted many clinics for high schools, colleges and many industrial leagues throughout the Northeast.  During her playing days, Joan received many individual awards and accolades for her performance on the volleyball court. She was one of the initiators of the modern game for all those associated with the game in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast.