St. Francis' Peg Kopec won 12 state titles during her 42-year career, including titles in four classes -- A, AA, 3A and 4A. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Tribune) Two years ago, Illprepvb.com was approached to collaborate on the creation of an Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, nothing ever came of that phone call. But we feel now, as we did then, that the creation of a coaches’ Hall of Fame was long overdue. So here it is – the initial class of the Illprepvb.com Illinois High School Volleyball Coach...
1st Alliance VBC presents some of the top teams for the girls' 2021 "spring" season
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (foreground) has enough pieces returning to make another run at Redbird Arena and a Class 1A championship in 2021. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The IHSA has made its decision and pushed girls' volleyball back to "spring." If we assume (not always a good thing when it comes to the IHSA) that girls will not have to decide between high school and club teams, here is what the 2021 field could look like: Class 4A1. Benet (41-1) – Brad Baker has some holes to fill with the departure of five seniors, but there’s more th...
1st Alliance VBC presents 10 more girls' teams that could have some fun in 2021
Lockport coach Nick Mraz will be a busy man come February 2021. He coaches both girls and boys teams at Lockport. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Now that we know that the girls' high school volleyball season has been pushed back to "spring" beginning February 15, here are 10 more teams that could thrive in 2021. Class 4ADowners Grove North (22-17) – Setter Grace Malone and middle hitter Morgan Wendt are significant losses for coach Mark Wasik, but as long as Gwen Wolkow is around, the Trojans will always be in the hunt. The 5-10 outside hit...
IHSA moves girls' volleyball to 'spring,' boys' volleyball season to 'summer'
The IHSA released a revised schedule for girls' and boys' volleyball, which means that scenes like this played out last November will have to wait until April or May of 2021, if at all. Some Illinois high schools plan to reopen as usual this fall. Others plan to use a “hybrid” approach format, combining in-person and e-learning. Then there are those high schools that will rely entirely on e-learning for the first semester.But whatever their differences are and whichever learning format they employ, they all have one thing in common – th...
Delaying girls’ high school volleyball until spring would be an “absolute disaster”
These 2019 graduates of Mother McAuley were able to complete their senior season. But what does the future hold for the teammates they leave behind? Stevenson High School officials announced last week that the Lincolnshire campus would essentially remain off limits to the school's nearly 4,400 students when the 2020-21 term begins August 17, likely for the entire first semester. Elgin-based School District U-46 announced that its 38,000-plus students will learn remotely during the first seven weeks of the upcoming school year, while Glen...
Driven to near-suicide by a friend’s death, she finds hope, courage, and a cause
Former Downers Grove South setter Addy Karmik (11) struggled with anxiety, depression and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the death of club teammate Beth Dunlap. Former Downers Grove South setter Addy Karmik survived a suicide attempt and now advocates for mental health awareness. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAddy Karmik suffered in silence for too long.Now she is determined to ensure others don’t do the same.Karmik, the former Downers Grove South setter who is an incoming freshman at the University of Wiscons...
Top Flight VBC ready to take flight at AAU nationals in Orlando
Top Flight Volleyball Club, which is based in Elgin, is sending five teams to the 47th Annual AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships this week in Orlando, Florida. Top Flight 18 Theta coach Jake Mattern. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comTop Flight Volleyball Club didn’t take long to live up to its name.In the 12 years since Cindy Gritzman founded the club with her husband, Sean, the Elgin-based organization has won 15 national titles and grown from an initial 90 players to nearly 2,500. More than 100 Top Flight alums ...
Illprepvb.com recognizes contributions of 15 IHSA officials to girls, boys volleyball
Terri Narantic has officiated seven boys' state finals and was named the IHSA Boys Volleyball Official of the Year in 2007. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) “Without officials, it’s just recess.” High school officials protect the integrity of the games student-athletes play by demonstrating qualities like honesty, objectivity, consistency, courage and common sense. They help student-athletes learn life lessons that will benefit them for a lifetime.Illinois has been fortunate to have volleyball officials who are among the best in the business....
Former Cary-Grove star Colleen Smith's long and arduous journey leads her home again
Former Cary-Grove star and Indiana recruit Colleen Smith battled an incurable disease to star at DePaul and eventually land a head coaching job at Cary-Grove conference rival Jacobs. (Photo courtesy of DePaul University) Colleen Smith served as assistant coach at Cary-Grove before she was hired to head the program at Jacobs. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comColleen Smith still remembers the day she learned the identity of her tormentor.It was September 22, 2011, early during Smith’s freshman year at Indiana, where the former Cary...