COLLEGE MEN
invest in one’s self must be inherent in individuals if they truly desire to suc- ceed; put forth your best effort and com- pete every day; always look like you are winning – ALWAYS; no matter what the score or your record, keep playing, keep competing, keep coaching, keep teach- ing; and the single most important team rule: Do not do anything to embarrass yourself, the program or the university.”
Inspiring greatness D
uring his junior year at UCLA, three-time Olympian Jeff Nygaard played with the U.S. Men’s National Vol- leyball Team and then returned to school to play for the Bruins in the spring. After a road loss to Hawaii, Nygaard found himself stewing over factors he thought contributed to the defeat, and when Scates pulled him aside for a short meet- ing about the team, he was sure his frus- trations would be validated by his coach. Instead, Scates told him he was a spoiled player, that coming back to UCLA from the USA team had skewed him and that he needed to pick up his game. Nygaard was angry the entire plane
ride home. That Monday at practice, there wasn’t a set in the gym that Nygaard didn’t terminate. He went after
Al Scates’ coaching protégés
Andy Banachowski (1965-1968) • Former Head Women’s Coach, UCLA
Greg Giovanazzi (1976-1978) • Former Head Women’s Coach, Michigan
Jeff Campbell (1985) • Head Men’s Coach, Cal State Northridge
Karch Kiraly (1979-1982) • Assistant Coach, U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team
Ricci Luyties (1981-1984) • Head Women’s Coach, UC San Diego
Mike Sealy (1990-1993) • Head Women’s Coach, UCLA
John Speraw (1992-1995) • Head Men’s Coach, UC Irvine • Assistant Coach, U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team
Fred Sturm (1972-1973, 1975-1976) • Former Head Men’s Coach, USA Volleyball
Reed Sunahara (1982-1984) • Former Head Women’s Coach, Cincinnati
every tip and every hit with reckless abandon, and not one block attempt was made without his full effort. Similar scenes played out many times in Scates’ 50 years in the gym, and they underscore a distinction that Sturm makes between his former coach and other college coaches of the 1970s.
“There were coaches who only developed skills, and there were those who developed teams – Al built teams,” Sturm says. “He inspired his teams to perform, and they always got better as the season progressed. And he knew how to bring the most out of an individual. He was very good at that.” The greatness he inspired in others
didn’t come at the expense of life out- side of volleyball, though. One thing Sturm most appreciates about Scates is that he is able to maintain a balance between the pursuit of wins and the world outside the gym.
“He loves to be with his family and friends, and he enjoys playing golf,” Sturm says. “It’s nice to know that you don’t have to spend 24 hours a day coaching; it’s possible to do a great job coaching and have time for other things. I learned that from Al.”
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