04/14/2007

Leland's Glass goes out on top

Season switch forces decision

By MARK URBAN

murban@record-eagle.com

Glass

TRAVERSE CITY — The winningest volleyball coach in northern Michigan is now officially just a volleyball mom.

Leland coach Laurie Glass announced her retirement at the team's postseason banquet so she can have time to watch her daughter, Alisha, who will be a sophomore setter at Penn State University in the fall.

With prep volleyball moving from the winter to fall in Michigan that created a conflict Laurie Glass wasn't willing to work through.

"I said all along that if the seasons switched, it would be time for my retirement, at least while Alisha is in college,” Glass said. "I'm just not willing to give up the opportunity. She's only going to do this three more years. I don't want to look back and say I wish I would have done this.”

Glass posted a 717-234-138 record during her coaching career, which began in 1989 at Leland, her alma mater.

After two seasons with the Comets, Glass went 125-49-23 in four seasons at Traverse City Central before returning to Leland for the 1994 season.

Leland won two Class D state titles under Glass, in 2002 and 2006. The Comets were state runners-up in 2005 and reached the semifinals in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2004.

The Comets won eight regional championships and 10 straight district titles. Leland, which moves to the Northwest Conference in the fall, won every Cherryland Conference title during her 15 seasons at the school, including the last 13 in a row.

"Like I said at the banquet, it's been a privilege to work in a community, at a school and for an administration that supports extra-curricular opportunities for kids in the manner that Leland does,” Glass said.

Junior outside hitter Erica Breen said it will be strange not to have Laurie Glass running the volleyball program next year.

"It's going to be really weird,” Breen said. "It's going to be so different just because she's been such a big part of the volleyball program since we started playing in seventh grade.”

Glass will run her annual summer camp the last week of June at Leland with Ferris State University coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm.

But then it's off to follow and watch her daughter play as much as possible. The Nittany Lions were 32-3 last season and reached the regional finals before falling to defending national champion Washington.

Three All-American players return for the 2007 season.

"I love it,” Laurie Glass said. "I love watching competitive volleyball and to watch my kid playing competitive volleyball is even better.”

Breen said Laurie Glass will be where she needs to be this fall.

"I totally understand,” Breen said. "That's her daughter. She needs to be there for her and to watch her play.”

Even though leaving coaching at Leland will be tough, Glass quoted one of her favorite authors, Dr. Seuss, in announcing her decision to step down.

"Don't cry, because it's over,” she said. "Smile, because it happened.”