Pyritz Named National Volleyball Coach of the YEar :::

As reported by ProVolleyball.com

Pyritz is synonymous with volleyball at Lyons. She was a player on the Lyons team that captured the school’s first volleyball title in 1976 and has been coach of the Lions the past 22 years. She won a state title, the second for the school, in her first year as the coach back in 1989 and waited 21 years to do it again, capping a 40-1 season with the Illinois 4A title in 2010.

Not that the in between has been bad. In Coach P’s 22 years at the helm, Lyons has never had a losing record and has won 25 or more matches 21 times. Pyritz will take a 650-214 career record into the 2011 season.

Despite being ranked in the top 25 nationally to start the 2010 season, Lyons flew largely under the radar throughout much of the year as Cary-Grove, the team that defeated the Lions to capture the 2009 state title, made a big splash by winning the Asics Challenge and assuming the No. 1 spot in our national rankings. At the end of the season, however, it was Lyons, a team that had graduated four starters from the year before, hoisting the championship trophy after a thrilling three-set finals win that knocked Cary-Grove from the unbeaten ranks and out of the national championship chase. Lyons finished the year ranked fourth nationally and its top player, senior OH Jocelynn Birks, was named an Under Armour All-America.

While that success is all well and good, it’s not what made Pyritz our choice to be Coach of the Year. Rather, we were persuaded of her greatness by testimonials penned by parents of senior players on the team. These players did not see a lot of court time in 2010, yet their parents thought enough of Coach Pyritz to take the time to write on her behalf.

“Yes, LT won the State title; yes, they beat Cary Grove, one of the highest ranked teams in the nation; yes, this was the second year in a row in the championship for LT; and yes, Coach P has been with LT since she played, PLAYED, on a state title winner there in the late 70s,” wrote Bob O’M alley, father of senior OH Kasey O’Malley. “Far more importantly to the parents of this year's team was her leadership, constant professionalism, and her ability to instill TEAM above individual gains. The team this year respected the game, their opponents, the referees, and most of all, Coach P. That doesn't happen without exceptional coaching.”

“Everyone who followed the team throughout the season knew how important Coach P’s leadership was to the success of the team,” said Bo Bres, father of senior MB Sara Bres.  “She was always positive and professional, calm and supportive, and instilled in her girls the belief in themselves, and trust in each other, required to be the very best.”
 
Deidre Dunbar, director of New WAVE VBC, coached under Coach P when she student taught at Lyons.

“She has a dynamic personality,” Dunbar observed. “On the surface you see a stern, tough woman, but at the core she is a caring person with integrity. I loved listening to her in timeouts to hear the wisdom she was going to bestow on the team. After I left the school, I made a point to go out to see them play, and sat behind the bench to listen. It was important for me to do that, as I tried to grow as a coach myself.”

If you ask Coach P about her coaching philosophy, she will tell you “It is simple. I am a teacher at Lyons Township High School first and foremost.”

“I believe in teaching student/athletes about pride in our school, and pride in playing for the reputation of our school.  Pride is about personal commitment. It is about leading by example and it is about demonstrating a high level of class in every aspect of life. 

“I believe in teamwork and taking collective responsibility for our result.  I believe in putting forth consistent effort as a coach in order to maintain a high standard of competitiveness for our players. 

“I also believe that as a head coach, what behaviors we model and how we articulate goals to our players sets the tone for team achievement.  Our achievement is a result of athletes playing to potential because they are motivated to play for each other, not for themselves.  Our achievement is also the result of positive coach-player relationships.  The trust that we (coach and player) have for each other helps us to achieve to the fullest measure, as this trust allows us to feel supported and connected to our teammates and our school. 

“Coaching volleyball and coaching in general has never been about me or the wins I have accumulated over time.  It is instead, about the lives that I have, hopefully, positively influenced.  It is most important that my players view me as someone who helped them to bring out their best personal qualities and athletic abilities during high school.  Whether the player is a starter on the team or a player waiting her turn on the bench, it is important that they view their experience in athletics as one that is a positive lasting memory and one that brought out the best in them as people.”


On behalf of PrepVolleyball.com, it is our honor to name Coach Pierce and Coach P our National Co-Coaches of the Year. How fortunate their players have been to be mentored by these wonderful coaches who consider themselves teachers first!