Category Archives: High School Coach

Clare Matasavage

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Clare Matasavage attended Notre Dame Academy in Waterbury. She graduated from Syracuse University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education. While at Syracuse, she played intercollegiate bas-ketball and volleyball. She captained the basketball team in both her junior and senior year. Clare continued her education at Southern Connecticut State University where she received her Master’s degree in Physical Edu-cation and Health.

Clare taught physical education and health at Holy Cross in Waterbury for 23 years. During her tenure at Holy Cross, she was head volleyball coach for 22 years. During that time, her volleyball teams won numerous league championships. Her groups also received sportsmanship awards presented by the volleyball board of officials.

The Connecticut High School Coaches Association recognized Clare as Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1994. She was also nominated in 1995 for National Volleyball Coach of the Year. Clare has also worked as an inter-scholastic volleyball official. She is one of the founding members of the CT Women’s Scholastic and Collegiate Volleyball Hall of Fame.
While at Holy Cross, Clare also coached softball, basketball, and track and field. Her track teams won numerous league championships and she served as an interscholastic basketball official.

Clare is presently teaching at Coginchaug Regional High School in Durham.

Robert Tarigo

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Robert Tarigo was a 1965 graduate of Clarkstown High School in New York. He attended Central Connecticut State University receiving a Bache-lor of Science degree in Elementary Education, and a Masters degree in guidance. He played basketball from 1965 through 1969 and coached bas-ketball in several Connecticut high schools from 1969 to 1998.

Robert started coaching volleyball at Berlin High School in 1982 and has been there for the past 34 years. His overall record is 444 and 212. His teams won thirteen conference championships, had 53 All-Conference Players, and eleven All-State players. For these achievements he has re-ceived many awards and much recognition. In 1993 he was selected to coach the Connecticut Girls Senior All-Stars, and in 1998 he received the Connecticut Gatorade Outstanding Coach Award. Robert was named a Na-tional Coach of the Year finalist in 2004 and in 2011. He was also inducted into the Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.

As a player, Robert also represented Connecticut Men’s Volleyball, and played in the Senior Olympics in New Orleans in 2004. However there is another sport close to Robert’s heart and that is softball. Every summer from 1979 to 2001 he would play in both the American Softball Associa-tion and in the United States Specialty Sports Association. In 1989, he was named to the All-World team for both pitching and playing first base and two years later was inducted into United States Slow Pitch New England Hall of Fame.

Robert credits Bruno Lukas for his start in and love of volleyball, as well as Bill Detrick and Eddie Rosmarin who made a difference in his life. He attributes his success to his dedicated athletes, assistant coaches, and espe-cially the support of his wife Pat, and his two sons Jason and Jeffrey.

Alan Malizia

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Al Malizia’s coaching career spanned twenty two years from 1979-2000 and during that time he has established quite a resume. It started when he became the head coach of Stamford Catholic High School (aka Trinity Catholic). Al brought his enthusiasm, dedication and winning attitude to his players.  This is evident in his teams’ success.  In 1981 Stamford Catholic qualified for the CIAC State Tournament.  Just two years later they not only qualified for the tournament, they reached the finals and they won.  This was to be repeated for the next two years- Al’s teams won three consecutive state championships: 1983, 1984, 1985.   Also during that ’85 season Stamford Catholic was FCIAC League and Tournament Champion and posted a perfect 23-0 record.  In 1988 Al once again brought his team to the state tournament and another appearance in the finals and another victory.  Winning four state championships is quite an accomplishment in a coaching career.  The Connecticut High School Coaches Association apparently agreed because that year Al was selected as a Coach of the Year- Outstanding Coach of Volleyball.

Throughout his 22 year career Al’s teams made 16 consecutive FCIAC playoff appearances; 17 consecutive CIAC State Tournament appearances (4 of which were in the finals); and he compiled a .640 career win percentage, 274 wins and 154 losses.  He had just 5 losing seasons in his career.  Many outstanding athletes played volleyball for Al and he had numerous players named to All-FCIAC and All-State teams.  Many of these student athletes went on to play on the collegiate level on scholarship for schools such as Georgetown, Boston College, UConn and Holy Cross.

In 2004 Al Received the Stamford Old Timers Athletic Association Award in memory of “Mickey” Leone.

Steve Geryk

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Steve’s volleyball career began as an outstanding player and continued as an out-standing coach. He first played volleyball at UMASS Amherst with Pat Ryan who was already a member of the team. He was named a New England All Star both years he played at the College club level and he played with various USVBA and local adult teams throughout the years.

His first coaching job was at Amherst High School in 1984 as the first Boys’ Volleyball coach. The team’s record was 11-1. His next coaching opportunity was at Glastonbury High School where he started as the girls’ assistant coach in 1990. Steve coached there until 2002, his last 6 years as the Varsity Coach.

His overall record at Glastonbury was 215-77 in those 13 years, and his varsity record was 107 and 26. Glastonbury was the CCC West Champion for 11 of those 13 years, including the last 10 in a row and won the CIAC Class L State Championship in 1993.

Steve coached numerous All-State players including Allison Baker and Missy Roy, an inductee of the Connecticut Scholastic Women’s Volleyball Hall of Fame.

After taking many years off to spend more time with his children’s activities, he re-turned to coaching at East Catholic High School as the assistant girls’ volleyball coach from 2009 through 2012. This allowed him to be a part of the team while his daughter Emma played. He also coached numerous girls Junior Olympic teams for the Husky Volleyball Club, operated in central CT by Pat Ryan.

Steve credits the many people who have helped influence him as a coach but none more than his presenter Pat Ryan. Of Pat Steve said, “Pat has been there since my first day playing at UMASS and continued to be an influence on my coaching, and coaching philosophy throughout my career”.

Steve is a Mortgage Loan Originator and lives in Stafford Springs with his wife Kathy and 2 children Joey and Emma.

Rich Heitz

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Richard Heitz has said he always loved the sport of volleyball since first being introduced to it in middle school. Unfortunately, there were no boys’ volleyball programs when he attended Pomperaug High School and he had to wait until the age of eighteen to play for his church team in a power league in Oxford, CT.

Richard played competitively on various club teams and in tournaments in the area until he began coaching as an assistant coach under Deb O’Brien at Wethersfield High School in 1994. He coached the Junior Varsity until 2001 when he took the head coaching position at Southington High School. Entering this 2015 fall season, he will have coached at Southington for fourteen years with an overall record of 236-72.

Richard’s teams at Southington won 9 consecutive divisional titles from 2004 – 2012. They were also CCC Tournament champions in 2008 and 2010, as well as state champions in 2009 and state runners-up in 2011. His teams have been recognized many times including twelve times by the American Volleyball Coaches Association with the Team Academic Award, as well as four times by the Connecticut Board of Volleyball Officials (CBVO) with their annual sportsmanship award in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2010.

Richard has been recognized as well for the accomplishments of his teams. In 2014, he was named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s Coach of the year. In 2015, he was a Finalist for National High School Coach of the Year in Volleyball, recognized at NHSACA annual convention in Rochester, MN.

Richard has given back much to the sport of volleyball having served for twelve years as a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Girls’ Volleyball Committee, and served as chairman for six of those years. He also spent 10 years as a member of the CHSCA Senior All-Star Game Committee, and was selected as head coach in the game in 2007. He has served the sport regionally and nationally as well, serving on the Girls’ Volleyball All-American Committee for Region 1 (covering New England and New York State) and for three years as a board member for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Southington Observer: Rising to great Heitz: Lady Knight coach inducted into CT volleyball hall of fame

Dave Jockle

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Dave Jockle began his volleyball career as the assistant coach at Fairfield University. In 1994, he was hired as the head coach at Bunnell High School in Stratford and held the position through 2009. During that time, his teams compiled a record of 311 and 63, an 83% winning record. They won eight Southwest Conference champion-ships, nine Colonial Division Championships and four State Championships. In both 2004 and 2006, they were the #1 ranked team in Connecticut.

Dave was named the CT Post High School Volleyball coach of the year four times. In 2001 and 2006, he was named the New Haven Register High School Volleyball Coach of the year and in 2006 was named the CIAC High School Coach of the year.

Besides high school volleyball, Dave also coached the CT Juniors Travel Program. In 1996 his team competed in the Junior Olympics National Program.

This is Dave Jockle’s second Hall of Fame induction. In 2008, Dave Jockle was inducted into the Bunnell High School Hall of Fame as well.

George Green

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George Green has been the coach at St. Joseph’s High School for 32 years. His overall record is 537 and 117. Although undocumented, his 537 wins in volleyball, is believed to be the most wins in Connecticut history.

His teams won 14 League Championships and five State Championships in 1984, ’89, ’91, ’92, and ’97 and won the silver medal in 2002.

George was twice the coach in the Sr. Volleyball All-Star game including in its inaugural year in 1991, and was named CT. High School Coach of the year in 1993. He was also named the New Haven Register and CT. Post Coach of the Year.

In addition, George won three State Championships in Class M Boys’ Volleyball and five State Championships in Class S Girls and Boys Tennis.

In this, his last year of coaching volleyball, George has left a legacy of outstanding coaching success that will not be forgotten.

Mary Ellen Vaccari

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Mary Ellen attended Southern Connecticut State University, where she said, after being mentored by the outstanding staff and taught volleyball by Louise Albrecht, she was passionate about helping student-athletes achieve excellence.

 

Mary Ellen was hired in 1976 by her High School alma mater, The Gilbert School, and her contract was contingent upon her coaching three sports. She has coached almost continually since then, coaching six different boys’ and girls’ sports over the years.

 

The volleyball program was in its infancy when she took over and was 3-9 in her first season. Over the following 10 years, her teams qualified for the state tournament each year. Her teams also won 3 Northwest League titles and after joining the Berkshire League won additional titles there as well.

 

In 1979 and 1981, Gilbert played in the state tournament semifinals and in 1983 played in the tournament finals. At the beginning of the ‘86 season, Mary Ellen announced her retirement in order to care for her growing family. That year, Gilbert won its first day championship title. Her 10 year record as head coach was 150 -53. Three years later, she realized she could not stay away and returned as an assistant coach to then head Coach Cindy fixer, a former player of Maryellen’s. She worked in the programs the next 22 years and in 2000, when Gilbert one another state championship title, Maryellen’s two daughters were members of the team.

 

Over the years Mary Ellen also ran USVBA Junior Olympic volleyball programs, as well as summer volleyball leagues. She was a Woman’s Sports Foundation “Grants for Girls” recipient, and was the 1998 recipient of the Pathfinder Award from the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports.

 

When Mary Ellen graduated from Southern Connecticut State University, she said she was confident she could help young women improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through competition. She was absolutely right.

The Register Citizen:  Coach Vaccari inducted into Hall of Fame

 

Gail Ericson

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Gail coached at Bristol Eastern High School from 1982 until 2005. During those 23 years, her record was 332 – 139. Also during those 23 years, they qualified for the state tournament 21 times.

 

Bristol Eastern won 15 league championships and played in the state championship finals six times and won 3 state championships during her tenure.

 

In 1990, Gail was named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s Outstanding Coach and in 1996 and 2000 she was the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s Regional Coach of the Year finalist.

 

Off the court, Gail has served as the CIAC State Tournament Committee for 21 years and was a founder of the Senior All-Star game. She was the chairman of the CHSCA all-state selection committee and co-chair the national volleyball clinic in 1996 and 2002.

Joanne Conte

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Joanne’s involvement with volleyball began in 1981 at Maloney High School. She palyed four years in one of the premier programs in the state, coached by Hall of Famer Cindy Opalski. Not only did she learn how to better her skills and playing ability but she also learned the intricacies of the game that would server well as a coach. She showed herself to be someone who could lead as evidenced by her selection as captain. A versatile athlete, Joanne played tennis for four years. She was captain and received the Dan Sullivan Scholarship Award her senior year.

After graduation in 1984, Joanne attended CCSU as an Education major. In the Fall of ’85, she became assistant coach of the Lyman Hall girls’ volleyball team. With that one year coaching experience and start her junior year at Central, Joanne applied for the head coaching position at her alma mater. Maloney’s legendary AD Norb Fahey saw something in young Joanne and hired her for the job; and that rest is, as they say, history. She would remain there for 11 seasons, accruing an impressive 201-33 record, continuing the winning tradition establish by her predecessors. During her tenure as coach, Maloney consistently qualified for post season play, winning 8 CCC South league titles and taking 5 trips to the finals of the CIAC Class L State Championships. In 1989 and 1994, Maloney finished as runner-up and they won the state titles in ’87, ’88 and ’92. Joanne has had many of her players recognized for their playing. They have been selected to receive numerous all-league and all-state honors. Many of her players have gone on to play in college.  Joanne has been honored for her outstanding achievement in coaching as well. She was selected Connecticut High School Coaches Assoc. Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1995. In 1996 she received that National High School Coaches Assoc .District 1 Volleyball Coach of the Year and she was one of eight finalists for the NHCA coach of the year.

Joanne has excelled in her teaching career as well as her coaching career. She received the Meriden Exemplary Project Achievement Award in 2001; Meriden Project Excel’s Influential Teacher Recognition (1998-05); 1998 Nomination for “Who’s Who Among  America’s Teachers.”  In 2008 Joanne was hired as the Supervisor of Language Art (6-12) for the Meriden Public School System.

Joanne said she was most influenced by her grandmother, Freida Burhardt. A strong woman who encouraged Joanne to strive for excellence, a trait she in turn passed on to the young women she has coached.