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Williamston’s Rogers named the WDN Volleyball Coach of the Year
By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
WILLIAMSTON - In five years as the Williamston volleyball coach Herbie Rogers has won four straight Atlantic Conference championships, and now he can add the Washington Daily News Volleyball Coach of the Year to his mantle.
Rogers is no stranger to receiving awards from the WDN, as he has also taken home coach of the year honors in baseball. However, Rogers said each one has been special.
“It really feels good, and when you have good girls that play for you it helps out a whole lot,” Rogers said. “I’m not sure how many (coach of the year awards) I have, but it’s always exciting to be named coach of the year. It means you have a pretty good team and some pretty good players. I have been very fortunate in both baseball and volleyball to have some good players.”
This year Rogers certainly had a talented squad as the Tigers, led by WDN Player of the Year Presley Roberson, finished the season with a 21-3 record.
While there was plenty to be proud of this year, Rogers said his team’s strong play in the conference was tops.
“(The high light of the season) was probably going through our conference schedule and only losing one game.” Rogers said. “Our conference is pretty good at volleyball and our girls really played well. We had a bunch of matches that went five sets and we ended up winning a majority of those matches. It was just exciting to finish up the way we did in the conference.”
Rogers said the key to his team’s success is its senior leadership.
“It starts with our seniors,” Rogers said. “We had a bunch of seniors who have been through the program and have played four years. Those girls worked extremely hard to become good volleyball players. They put a lot of time in this summer, going to camps, coming here and lifting weights and working hard. It shows in there overall record, they were very successful.”
Rogers said another key element to the Tigers’ success was chemistry. The team not only gelled on the court, but it was apparent that they were friends off the court as well.
“(Chemistry) is very important,” Rogers said. “In volleyball you have to have a bunch of girls that work together and we were very fortunate to have that. You can have one good player but if everybody is not working on the same page then you will get beat quick. These girls really played well together and had a good time and a great year.”
They team’s chemistry became most apparent on the defensive side of the ball, where the girls routinely had each other’s backs.
“We did a lot of things good, but one of the things I am most proud of is our defense,” Rogers said. “This was probably one of the better defensive teams I have had. We spent a lot more time this year playing defense than we had in the past, and I could tell it in the matches. I was really proud of the way the girls played defense.”
Roberson, the Tigers’ middle hitter, said that what makes Rogers such a good coach is his combination of styles, saying that the skipper is neither a strict disciplinarian or too easy going.
“He likes to be all different things, he likes to be tough, but then he will give you a look to let you know he’s joking with you,” Roberson said. “ He is a really good coach and has taught me a lot. When I was in Jamesville I wasn’t that great, but he showed me a lot of things and made me a lot better.”
Rogers is no stranger to receiving awards from the WDN, as he has also taken home coach of the year honors in baseball. However, Rogers said each one has been special.
“It really feels good, and when you have good girls that play for you it helps out a whole lot,” Rogers said. “I’m not sure how many (coach of the year awards) I have, but it’s always exciting to be named coach of the year. It means you have a pretty good team and some pretty good players. I have been very fortunate in both baseball and volleyball to have some good players.”
This year Rogers certainly had a talented squad as the Tigers, led by WDN Player of the Year Presley Roberson, finished the season with a 21-3 record.
While there was plenty to be proud of this year, Rogers said his team’s strong play in the conference was tops.
“(The high light of the season) was probably going through our conference schedule and only losing one game.” Rogers said. “Our conference is pretty good at volleyball and our girls really played well. We had a bunch of matches that went five sets and we ended up winning a majority of those matches. It was just exciting to finish up the way we did in the conference.”
Rogers said the key to his team’s success is its senior leadership.
“It starts with our seniors,” Rogers said. “We had a bunch of seniors who have been through the program and have played four years. Those girls worked extremely hard to become good volleyball players. They put a lot of time in this summer, going to camps, coming here and lifting weights and working hard. It shows in there overall record, they were very successful.”
Rogers said another key element to the Tigers’ success was chemistry. The team not only gelled on the court, but it was apparent that they were friends off the court as well.
“(Chemistry) is very important,” Rogers said. “In volleyball you have to have a bunch of girls that work together and we were very fortunate to have that. You can have one good player but if everybody is not working on the same page then you will get beat quick. These girls really played well together and had a good time and a great year.”
They team’s chemistry became most apparent on the defensive side of the ball, where the girls routinely had each other’s backs.
“We did a lot of things good, but one of the things I am most proud of is our defense,” Rogers said. “This was probably one of the better defensive teams I have had. We spent a lot more time this year playing defense than we had in the past, and I could tell it in the matches. I was really proud of the way the girls played defense.”
Roberson, the Tigers’ middle hitter, said that what makes Rogers such a good coach is his combination of styles, saying that the skipper is neither a strict disciplinarian or too easy going.
“He likes to be all different things, he likes to be tough, but then he will give you a look to let you know he’s joking with you,” Roberson said. “ He is a really good coach and has taught me a lot. When I was in Jamesville I wasn’t that great, but he showed me a lot of things and made me a lot better.”
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