LEXINGTON, Ky.
(Nov. 29, 2007) – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to
announce that Betty Wroubel, head girls' volleyball coach at Notre Dame
Preparatory School in Pontiac, Mich., and Don Conser, head girls' volleyball
coach at Salem High School in Salem, Ohio, have been selected as the 2007 AVCA
National High School Coaches of the Year.
In the 27-year history of the
AVCA awards program, this is the first time the association has awarded a
National High School Coach of the Year. The AVCA launched its affiliate partner
program last spring, initiating an effort to reach out to more high school
volleyball coaches.
“We are thrilled to add high
school coaches to our AVCA Coach of the Year honors,” said Kathy DeBoer, AVCA
Executive Director. “Having Betty and Don as inaugural recipients is most
fitting. Both are wonderful examples of the success that is possible when you
love the kids as much as you love the game.”
Wroubel has been a high school
girls’ volleyball coach for over 30 years. In 14 years as head coach at Notre
Dame Preparatory, Wroubel’s teams have won the conference championship 10 times,
the district title nine of the last 10 seasons, and the Michigan Interscholastic
Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA) Team Academic All-State award each of the
last 14 years. The 2007 season was her most successful to date, as the Irish
set a school record for wins with 54, en route to winning their first Michigan
High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) volleyball state championship.
“I want to thank the MIVCA for nominating me, and
the AVCA for honoring me with this award,” said Wroubel. “I am very touched and
humbled by this recognition. I share this award with many of the great coaches
in Michigan who have shared their ideas and took time to mentor me throughout my
career, and am thankful for the many players who worked so hard in our programs
and who exhibited such patience with me as their coach. Each one of them shares
in this honor too.”
Conser has also been coaching high school volleyball
for 30 years. He has over 500 career wins, ranking him among the top 15
all-time in the state of Ohio. His many achievements include being named the
Ohio Division II Coach of the Year twice, and earning the Ohio Coaching
Achievement Award four times. His 2007 squad went undefeated in the regular
season, and advanced to the semifinals of the Ohio High School Athletic
Association (OHSAA) Division II State Tournament.
“I am honored and humbled to have this recognition
bestowed on me,” said Conser, upon learning he had received the honor. “In my
30 years of coaching, this is indeed the highlight of my career. When I began
coaching, I just wanted to help my high school team win a few matches. Now,
some 500-plus wins later, I look at what volleyball has meant to me and my
family and simply say, THANK YOU.”
The AVCA will formally present the National High School Coach of
the Year awards to Wroubel and Conser at the 2007 Jostens Coaches Honors
Luncheon in Sacramento, Calif., on Thursday, December 13. The luncheon is held
in conjunction with the 2007 AVCA Annual Convention.
