Category Archives: High School Coach

Paul Thees

Posted on
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

Richard Langer

Posted on

langer

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

Nancy Bond

Posted on

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

Posted on

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.

Matthew Hurlock

Posted on

hurlock

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

Laurie LaRusso

Posted on

1024x1024

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.

Nancy Grace

Posted on

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

Posted on

images

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.

Cindy Opalski

Posted on

Cindy attended Southern Connecticut State University where she played volleyball for Lou Albrecht and Joan Barbarich. A savvy outside hitter for the Owls, she played in two AIAW tournaments and was captain of the squad in her senior year.

In 1979 she took over the program at Maloney High School in Meriden. Stepping into such a well-known and successful program could’ve been a daunting task to some, but Cindy was more than up to it. During her seven year tenure from 1979 to 1985 she and her teams amassed an amazing record of 147 wins and 11 losses including four undefeated seasons (1979, 80, 81 and 84). Under Cindy’s guidance Maloney won the C IAC State Class L Championship (they played up in class) in 1979 and 84 and they were runner-up in 1985. In 1981 Maloney was part of the longest high school winning streak in the United States. Cindy also produced many outstanding players, among them all-staters Bonnie Kenny, Kim Sokel and Anne Marie Larese. There were also numerous all-league awards and league titles.

After leaving Maloney, Cindy worked with the US Volleyball Junior Olympic Program for five years coaching the Connecticut team at numerous national qualifiers. She coached and trained some of the top players to come out of Connecticut. Cindy is now in her 20th season as an intercollegiate head coach. In 1986 she was hired at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In her four years there she led the team to a 96- 42 record and the school’s first-ever conference title in 1988. She was the AV CA coach of the year in the Atlantic region and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

In 1990 Cindy arrived at Bucknell University and has transformed Bison volleyball into one of the top programs in the East. They were recognized as the most improved team in the nation by Volleyball Monthly in 1993; recorded the best record in school history in 1995 at 26-7; won the first-ever Patriot League automatic bid to the 1998 NCAA tournament; and in 2003 posted a school record 11 Patriot League wins en route to a second-place finish. Bucknell has won four of the last 11 Patriot League regular-season titles under a plastic Cindy. Cindy one of her 300th career match in 2004 and she has been named the Patriot League coach of the year three times: 1997, 2000 and 2003.

Linda Hamm

Posted on

hamm

Linda Hamm from SCSU with a degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1968. Upon graduation, she began her long and esteemed teaching and coaching career at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington.

She was the varsity volleyball coach from 1968-79 where she amassed a 142-53 record. During that time, her teams were Northwest Champions nine times.

In 1980 she took the position as head coach at Yale University. In 1981-83, she was the assistant coach at the University of New Haven. Then in 1984 she moved on to become head coach at CCSU.

Most recently, she started and coached the boys’ volleyball team at Lewis Mills in 1997-98.

Linda received her National Volleyball Officials’ rating in 1970 and continued in the capacity until 1975. She served as chairperson for the Connecticut volleyball officials from 1974-77. She was a member of the selection committee for the USVA All-American team from 1981-88. She has also been a past member of the Connecticut Board of Volleyball Officials.

As a player, Linda competed from 196901987 with the Connecticut Clippers.  She played in nine national tournaments in the open team- A Division. She also competed with two A Division Master’s teams.

She was the CHSCA Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1976.