Category Archives: High School Coach

Dr. Winnie Hamilton

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Winnie began her sports career as an outstanding athlete at Laurelton Hall High School. There she participated on the field hockey, basketball, softball and tennis teams. Upon graduation, she continued her education at SCSC where she majored in physical education.  It was at SCSC that Winnie had her first experience of being cut from a  sports team when she tried out for the volleyball team. They were looking for a middle blocker and Winnie, at 5’2”, did not fit the bill for the Owls. Winnie really believed that she could have been successful on that team.  Thus, upon graduation from Southern, when the opportunity arose to coach volleyball at Westhill, Winnie took the position. There she coached using her philosophy, formed by her experience at Southern, which was and is “you can be anything you believe you can be- and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”

From that start of her 14-year volleyball coaching career at Westhill, her teams qualified for every state tournament and always achieved a minimum of a quarterfinal appearance. During her tenure as coach, her tems accumulated 10 league championships, 2 state titles with 7 appearances in the finals. These accomplishments coming from a team whose tallest player during those years was 5’9”.

Winnie was recognized for her achievements by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association as the Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1977 and the  New England HS Coaches Assoc. as the Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1984.  She was elected as the second woman to serve as president of the CHSCA in 1985. Winnie received the Stamford YWCA You Make a Difference Award for all her work with the children of Stamford.

Winnie is presently serving as principal of Dolan Middle School in Stamford.

Edna Fraser

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Edna graduated from West Haven High School and SCSU with a BS and MS in Health and Physical Education.

She played softball for the Raybeston  Brakettes during the 1950’s and 1960’s.  Her teaching and coaching began at Milford High School and in 1973 she moved to Foran High School. It was there that she coached volleyball (1973-1978), basketball (1973-1986), and softball (1973-1991). Her teams won 399 games in the three sports over a 33-year career.  In 1986, she took the position of athletic director at Foran. She served in that position until 1992. She served as CIAC volleyball tournament director from 1992-1996.

Edna was a pioneer in establishing sports for girls in the state of Connecticut. she began her career at a time when there were few if any sport opportunities as well as establishing herself and her programs as models of excellence.

Aside from her award presented tonight, Edna has also been inducted into the SCSU Alumni Hall of Fame. She is a member of the Softball Hall of Fame, the Conn. Coach Association Hall of Fame and will be inducted into the Connecticut High School Basketball Hall of Fame in April. Edna was also honored by the town of Milford with the renaming of the gymnasium at Foran High School as the Edna I. Fraser Gymnasium.

Richard Langer

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Richard Langer started playing volleyball around 1970 in the old Southern New England YMCA league. He played in various tournaments in both New York and New England.

Five years later, Rich started coaching volleyball at Haddam-Killingworth. During his career, his teams have been to the finals of the Connecticut state volleyball tournament seven times. In 1991, his team was the Class S state volleyball champion.

Also during his career, in 2001 Rich was named the Connecticut High School Coaches’ Association Volleyball Coach of the Year.

In addition, Rich coached at the University of Rhode Island’s volleyball camp for three years, was selected Teacher of the Year for Regional School District 17 in 1998 and was inducted into the Haddam-Killingworth Hall of Fame and 2009.

Rich continues to play volleyball having played in the United States Volleyball Association’s nationals three times in the past five years. He also has played in various charity tournaments as a family with his two sons, daughter, son in law, and daughter in law.

The 2014 season is rich reminders 40th year of an outstanding volleyball career.

Middletown Press:  A memorable final season

Paul Thees

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Photo by Peter Casolino/Register Paul Thees is back as the head coach of the Amity volleyball team. Thees coached Amity for 16 seasons before resigning in 2007.

Photo by Peter Casolino/Register
Paul Thees is back as the head coach of the Amity volleyball team. Thees coached Amity for 16 seasons before resigning in 2007.

Paul played in the recreation /club volleyball program back in the late 70s at SCSU, and from his love for the game of volleyball. A few years later after graduating, he pursued his first head coaching job in 1982 at North Branford High School. He applied and was asked to meet Athletic Director Don Knickerbocker, who has since passed. Don started his career, and taught him the ropes as a beginner. Paul coached at North Bradford until 1985. His last three years at North Branford, his team 13 conference titles, played once in the quarterfinals of the state tournament and twice in the semifinals. That was just the beginning.

From 1989 through 1991 toll coached Platt High School in Meriden where his teams played once in the quarterfinals, wants in the state finals and won the state championship. Then in 1992, Paul was hired to coach at Amity Regional High School. For the next 15 years, his teams won 11 conference titles, played in the quarterfinals of the state tournament six times, the semifinals three times, the finals twice and won three state championships. After after two years coaching of trouble high school, Paul return to an 80 and 11 more conference title and played in the quarterfinals wants more.

In total, falls high school coaching record stands at 512 wins and 157 losses and 31 years. In five different schools, Paul Stevens won 15 of the titles, qualified for the state tournament 29 out of 31 seasons, played in the quarterfinals nine times, the semifinals five times, the final seven times and won four state championships. He is the only high school coach to win state championships at two different schools. He had multiple Allstate players and two Gatorade Players of the Year.

The Orange Times:  A Coaching Legend Retires After 31 Years

Nancy Bond

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Nancy Bond graduated from Cathedral High School in 1968. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Arnold College – University of Bridgeport in 1972. She earned her Master Degree from Southern Connecticut in Physical Education and Recreation for the Handicapped in 1978.

Nancy taught at Bassick High School in Bridgeport as a Physical Educator for almost 36 years. She coached Girls’ Volleyball from 1972- 2002, Girls’ basketball from 1972 – 1987, and Softball from 1973 to 1980. During the 80’s she officiated Girls Lacrosse and in the fall of 2002, Nancy officiated both girls’ and boys’ volleyball until 2011.

In 1989 she started the first Boys’ Volleyball team at Bassick and continued coaching the boys until 2002. Nancy served as the Sports Chair for Boys’ Volleyball in the FCIAC Conference for 10 years. Since its inception, she also served on the Boys’ Volleyball Committee for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. .

During her tenure, her Girls’ Volleyball Teams won four MBIAC Conference Championships, in 1973, 1977, 1981, and again in 1986. Her Girls’ Basketball Teams won three conference championships from 1979 – 1981.

Nancy has received many awards and much recognition for her accomplishments. In 1978 Nancy was awarded the MBIAC Volleyball Coach of the year. In 2009, she was inducted into the FCIAC Hall of Fame. In addition, in 1987 Nancy was awarded the Service Above Self Award from the Rotary Club and in 2002 she was the Co-Teacher of the year of the Bridgeport Public School District.

For the past 40 years in Connecticut, Nancy has supported Volleyball as a teacher, coach, and official.

Joseph Grippo

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Joe Grippo is an outstanding basketball coach. His teams have played in four state championships winning two and have also won six Shoreline Championships. He has also been recognized with awards for his accomplishments.

However, it is in volleyball that Joe has really made his mark. He started coaching volleyball at Morgan High School in 1983 and will finish his 30th volleyball season this year. His teams have won 23 Shoreline Championships, including 21 in a row from 1992 to 2012.

For 29 out of his 30 seasons, his team qualified for the state tournament. They played in 18 State Championship games. They won eleven State Championships including seven in a row from 1992 to 1998, and were runner-ups seven times. Prior to this year, his career record is 553 wins and 93 losses. Joe has been recognized many times for his success. In 1997, he was awarded the Doc McInerney Coach of the Year award and was named the New Haven Area Coach of the Year. In 1996, he was named the Connecticut High School Coaches

Association’s Coach of the Year. He was also a National Coach of the Year Finalist three times, in 1999, 2001, and 2005.

Laurie LaRusso

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Laurie graduated from Indiana University and received her graduate degree from Sacred Hart University. she taught at the elementary and middle school levels and now teaches at Darien High School.

Laurie started coaching volleyball at Darien in 1982. Since then her teams have won 21  FCIAC League Championships and 15 State Championships.  They had 11 undefeated seasons with winning streaks of 121 and 140 consecutive matches- the latter is the 8th longest in high school athletics. They were also named the #1 team in the Connecticut final coaches poll 9 times.  Her career record is now 583-81.

Her players included 65 first team all-league, 28 all-state, 15 most valuable players, four Gatorade Players of the Year and one All-American.

Laurie has been honored as the girls’ volleyball coach fourteen times. Her honors include FCIAC League Coach of the Year, Connecticut High School Coaches Assoc. Coach of the Year and National High School Coaches Assoc. Coach of the Year.

Laurie has also been inducted into the FCIAC Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame.

Matthew Hurlock

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When Matt Hurlock started coaching at Coventry in 2001, his first season ended with his team 6-21. Things were about to change. Just two years later, in 2003, Coventry won their first Class S State Championship.

Since 2003, Coventry has played in eight consecutive Class S finals. They won seven titles from 2003-2010, finishing 2nd in 2005. Those years also included four undefeated seasons and an 84 match winning streak from ’06-’08.

In 2010, Coventry finished their fourth undefeated season (24-0) as state champions and became the first small school to ever be voted #1 in Connecticut.

During is career, Marr was awarded the High School Coach of the Year for girls volleyball  by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance and in 2010 he was awarded the Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year by the Connecticut High School Coaches Assoc.

Hartford Courant
Hartford Courant: Matthew J. Hurlock Gymnasium Dedication Ceremony

Nancy Grace

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Grace coached field hockey and softball at Canton and had tremendous success with the field hockey program, winning 295 games, 11 league titles and eight Class S championships from 1985 to 2004. Her Warrior teams finished second three times and she was named the Class S coach of the year four times by the Connecticut Field Hockey Coaches Association. She was a finalist for the National High School Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award in 2000.

In softball, she coached at Canton from 1990-99, leading the Warriors to seven NCCC championships and a Class S state title in 1991.

Barbara Startup

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Barbara Startup graduated from Central Connecticut State College. She began her career at the Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh New York as a physical education teacher and volleyball coach. She began her administrative career, as an assistant principal at the Vernon Middle School in 1989. After spending five years in Enfield as the Coordinator of Physical Education, Intramurals, and Athletics, Barbara returned to Avon in 1995. At this time, she became the Director of Physical Education and Health Education, Athletics, Intramurals, and Student Activities. In 1998, she became the Director of Athletics for Glastonbury High School.

Barbara has held over a dozen different positions in her career, and has been honored by many groups for her work in all of them. Concentrating on her volleyball-related accomplishments, she has 40 years of volleyball officiating experience including many CIAC champion-ship games and Division II and III college tournaments. In the 1980’s and 90’s, Barbara held one of only two national volleyball ratings in the state. She became a volleyball officials trainer and served as past president of the Volleyball Board of High School and College Officials. For the past 33 years, she has been the scheduling coordinator of the Connecticut affiliated Board of High School Volleyball Officials and is currently serving in that position. She also is presently serving on the CIAC boys and girls Volleyball Committee and as the Assistant Tournament Director of the CIAC Volleyball State Tournament. Barbara is also a member of the National HS Federation Volleyball Rules Committee and is a founding member of the CT Scho-lastic Women’s Volleyball Hall of Fame and continues to serve on its committee.