Winning touch: Coaching success is nothing new for Soutchmoreland无毛视频檚 Pergar
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 girls volleyball team was coming off its greatest season when Michelle Pergar stepped in as the Lady Scotties无毛视频� new coach for 2024.
Taking over a program with the bar set extremely high is never an easy task for a first-year coach.
Pergar and her team were more than up to the challenge.
After winning a section title and picking up its first WPIAL playoff victory a year ago, Pergar guided Southmoreland to another section championship, two more playoff wins to reach the district final four for the first time and to its first PIAA appearance and state playoff win.
It无毛视频檚 nothing new for Pergar. Success has followed her throughout her coaching career.
Southmoreland is the third different school Pergar has coached to a section title, following Hempfield in 2019 and Laurel Highlands in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She also steered Albert Gallatin to its first two playoff appearances in 2016 and 2017.
Pergar has been a college coach as well at Penn State Fayette in 2007 and for part of a season at California University of Pa.
This year无毛视频檚 Lady Scotties squad, which finished 17-6 overall, defeated North Star, 3-2, for its landmark state win by scores of 25-18, 18-15, 26-24, 22-25 and 15-6.
无毛视频淚 said to the girls this is something you无毛视频檙e going to cherish forever,无毛视频� Pergar said. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e going to come back to school years down the road and they无毛视频檙e going to see that banner up there. They无毛视频檙e going to be able to talk to any of their future children about it. It无毛视频檚 one of those things that, for now, as young as they are, will be ever present. They无毛视频檙e always going to be the first to do that in volleyball.无毛视频�
When asked what was the key to her coaching success, Pergar modestly deflected credit to the players she无毛视频檚 had.
无毛视频淚 think it无毛视频檚 not me, it无毛视频檚 just what I can bring out in the girls,无毛视频� Pergar said. 无毛视频淎ll of these schools have very athletic young ladies, some of which I无毛视频檝e had the honor of coaching when they were little. They无毛视频檙e just naturally athletically inclined. I say that all the time, I didn无毛视频檛 make them the way they are, God made them that way and their parents did, and I just kind of added a little extra spice to it.无毛视频�
There are a myriad of different coaching styles and Pergar expressed hers.
无毛视频淏eing a coach, you无毛视频檙e trying to find that fine line of being tough but also personable with them,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淗aving all that time with them in the summer helps. At Laurel Highlands we did a summer league as well as AG. A chance to work with them for a couple years helped in getting that bond with them. Not a friendship kind of bond but just an appreciation and respect for each other. That goes a long way because they know if I无毛视频檓 pushing them it means that I care about them and I see potential in them.
无毛视频淭he girls I无毛视频檝e had the honor of coaching over the past couple years, a lot of them have had a lot of athleticism and potential that I just was fortunate enough to get out of them. It无毛视频檚 not me, it无毛视频檚 their natural ability and finding that way to connect with them. Some kids like to be coached hard. Others need more of a compassionate critique. That无毛视频檚 kind of been my coaching style and what I无毛视频檝e emulated from previous coaches I无毛视频檝e had.无毛视频�
Pergar was an outstanding volleyball player herself.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 from Maryland originally and played at Lock Haven,无毛视频� she pointed out. 无毛视频淚 started as a freshman and we won some section titles, PSAC championships and we went to the Elite Eight three out of the four years I was there. I played outside.无毛视频�
This year无毛视频檚 Southmoreland squad, led by seniors Taylor Doppelheuer, Riley Puckey and Makayla Etling, and juniors Zoey Welling and Ainsley Martin, lost some key players to graduation, namely Taylor无毛视频檚 older sister Kaylee Doppelheuer and Amarah McCutcheon.
无毛视频淭he girls that graduated were strong powerhouses but I knew those coming back were very capable and they could be just as good if not stronger in some aspects when it came to the defensive portion,无毛视频� Pergar said. 无毛视频淎va Bradley was able to come up as a sophomore and so was Morgan Riddle and they had humongous shoes to fill in Taylor无毛视频檚 sister and Amarah. Those two younger girls thankfully came through, and the rest of the girls were already in place. It was just a matter of pulling a little extra of that potential out of them and kind of altering the lineups a little bit.
无毛视频淭aylor was one of our top hitters. She can find the floor as in not always just swinging but chipping and pushing it to corners. She was one of our top servers as well. Ainsley did pop in some for her this year because mainly she is quicker and faster, but Taylor was very much able to play defense. Blocking was another thing she provided us.无毛视频�
Puckey and Welling served as mainly setters a year ago but Pergar expanded both players无毛视频� roles this season.
Puckey 无毛视频渉as the full package,无毛视频� Pergar said, commending her setting, blocking, swinging and tipping.
Welling played mostly in the front row last year but was used everywhere this season.
无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e both wonderful setters. I called them both setter/right side hitter,无毛视频� Pergar said. 无毛视频淲elling has come into her own with hitting and she has a really wonderful jump float serve.
无毛视频淭he fact that she无毛视频檚 able to work with girls all ages and find a connection with them as far as tempo for the hitters is really nice.无毛视频�
Pergar especially appreciated Martin无毛视频檚 hustle.
无毛视频淎insley, not that I无毛视频檓 a big fan of it, but she wears elbow pads for a reason,无毛视频� Pergar said. 无毛视频淭his girl will throw her body on the floor and pick up balls that you never suspected. We faced some phenomenal hitters and she was digging or touching the ball just enough to keep it alive for us to play. She无毛视频檒l run anything down. And she无毛视频檚 a strong server who had a ton of aces. She also can swing. She无毛视频檚 not afraid to take swings from the back row.无毛视频�
It all added up to a special season for Southmoreland and a success story at yet another different school for Pergar.