Moon coach adds Tigers’ boys team to her list of duties
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Sarah Durham is doing double duty at Moon.
After making her head coaching debut in the fall for Moon’s girls team, Durham has added the Tigers’ boys program to her coaching duties.
“It’s easier to coach boys in some aspects,” said Durham, when asked what the difference is between coaching boys and girls. “But the girls are more experienced.
“Most of the girls I coached have been playing club ball since they were 12, so I don’t have to spend much time teaching the basics. We don’t have a junior high program for the boys, so most of the boys have never played volleyball before.”
Durham has 22 kids to work with, including eight freshmen.
“The program has never had any consistency,” Durham said. “So to be realistic, I’m going to need some time to build a successful program.”
Durham’s biggest fan is her 5-month old son Calder.
“He seems to be happiest on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s when we have matches.”
Bethel Park
Tom Allman is no longer Bethel Park’s head boys volleyball coach. But the 25-year coaching veteran has not retired.
Assistant Zach Smith has taken over as the Black Hawks head coach.
“I found out in February that Tom was not coming back as head coach, so I applied for the job,” said Smith, who was Allman’s assistant the past four years. “When I got the job, I was pleased to find out that Tom would be coming back as my assistant.”
Smith isn’t sure how long Allman will continue coaching, but is glad to have him in the picture for his head coaching debut.
“It’s seamless on the job training for me,” Smith said. “The transition to head coach has gone very smooth since I know all the kids. Having Tom at my side really helps.”
Smith is a 2008 Bethel Park graduate who played for Allman.
“I was a three-year starter at libero,” Smith said. “So I’ve been with Tom for a long time.”
Bethel Park has won six consecutive Section 1 titles. The Black Hawks have a 4-0 record in the section.
“I’m pleased with our performance, especially since our top returnee, Mike Kapusta, hasn’t played a match yet,” Smith said. “Mike has been out with a wrist injury. We’re hoping to have him back for the second half of section play.”
Hempfield
John Howell hadn’t planned on a return to coaching.
“A few of the kids came to me and asked me to come back,” said Howell, who stepped down after 18 years as Hempfield’s coach after the 2012 season. “One of them told me I was the one that puts the numbers on the banner.”
The player was referring to the volleyball banner in Hempfield’s gym that recognizes the three section titles the Spartans won with Howell at the helm.
“They just want a chance to win a section title and feel I give them the best chance to do that,” Howell said. “I hadn’t planned on a return to coaching, but I just couldn’t turn them down.”
Howell takes over for Kyle Turkalj, who coached only one season.
“I have a very young team,” Howell said. “We have 23 kids and eight are freshmen. I sometimes have three or four freshmen on the floor at the same time.”
Despite the young team, Hempfield has a 3-2 record heading into Thursday’s match at Gateway.
Peters Township
When Pete Swauger stepped down after one season as Peters Township’s head coach, his two assistants stepped forward to run the Indians program with the title of co-coaches.
“Nate Swauger [Pete’s son] and I were the JV coaches last year,” Greg Hillard said. “When Pete decided not to come back, we decided to stay on as cohead coaches. Nate coaches the JV team one night and the varsity team the next, and vice versa for me. The arrangement has worked well for us thus far.”
Peters Township has a 3-2 record heading into Thursday’s match against Moon, with the losses coming to Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair, the two teams expected to be atop the standings.
“We feel pretty good coming out of the first two weeks,” Hillard said. “We took [defending section champion] Bethel Park to five games.”