Q: What was your first connection to Greensboro College?
A: My mom worked in the business office for 24 years. We used to come down here and go to the swimming pool in the summers. Every one of my brothers and sisters had part-time jobs here in the summer. I worked in the physical plant.
Q: With all your responsibilities, why do you still coach?
A: Oh, gosh. If I had to get rid of anything, I'd probably get rid of the other things and keep coaching. Which I hope I don't have to because I love all three areas, I really do. But as of now my first love would be coaching.
Q: Why do you still enjoy that so much?
A: I enjoy the players themselves, the personalities. To see what (former players have) accomplished and have them still be a part of my life, being invited to weddings, and know that I had a small part in their life. I love the challenge of coaching a team sport, especially with women -- the chemistry involved, getting them to see what they're able to accomplish when they're able to mesh as a group. I like taking kids that have some talent and making them into what I consider very talented players. I've created so many friendships in the coaching ranks, not just within our conference but all over the nation. I've traveled all over America -- Hawaii twice, all over California -- places I never would have gone if I hadn't been coaching a sport. And I love the fact that we've put Greensboro College on the map when it comes to volleyball.
Q: Have you coached any children of your early players?
A: Not yet, but I'm getting to a stage where that could happen.
Q: If that happens ...
A: Oh, it would be wonderful, really interesting. It would again verify that their parents thought it was a great enough situation to send their kids here. Greensboro College is a great place to be, to work. A lot of people have asked me "why haven't you gone Division I?'' Well, I love the Division III philosophy. These kids are here for academics first. The main thing is I want to see them walk across the stage and get their diploma. That's far more important than winning a championship in volleyball.
Q: What are some things about the game that the casual fan doesn't understand?
A: I think the average fan doesn't understand how skilled you have to be to control the ball and that you're trying to control it to a certain area. (Average fans also don't know) the strategies involved in serving, the number of plays and types of hits that you run and how complicated it is to learn those things, even the strategies of defense. Six players can't cover everything, so you position them in the areas where you think the highest percentage is where the other team might hit the ball.
Q: As the season opener approaches (Sept. 3-4 at a tournament at Averett), do you still get butterflies?
A: Oh, gosh. I get them every year. And we're opening this year at Averett. They and Christopher Newport are our huge rivals. The team will be very psyched for that one. I get very excited the week or two weeks before we start practice. Some of that maybe goes back to my compulsive behavior over being organized. I feel like wow, 14-, 16-, 18-hour days are getting ready to hit. I'll be a little nervous for the match, but I feel like if we get them prepared and we've got a great team, it's up to them sometimes to get out there and perform. I have changed in the way I coach. I was a more volatile coach when I first started, more of a screamer, yeller type, and now I'm not like that at all. I've learned to adjust to the players. I've done a lot of studying about coaching women, which is very different from coaching men, trying to understand those intricacies.
Q: What are you looking for from your 24th team?
A: I think we're definitely capable of winning 25 to 30 matches this year. We're capable of winning the conference and going to the NCAA. We should have the player of the year again, Katie Smith, who was player of the year last year. But our seniors will really have to step it up to make this happen. Last year we might have had just a touch more talent, but this team gets along so well. Sometimes a little bit lesser talent but more cohesion can make for a better team.
Q: You're at 492 career wins. What will the 500th mean to you?
A: In volleyball we're playing 35, 36 matches a year. If you're in it long enough, you're going to get 500 wins. To say that I've been at one spot for 25 years and coached volleyball for 24, that's saying something even more than the number of wins. Everybody says it but it's the honest truth -- you don't win unless you have great assistants, great athletes and I've got a great administration that has been wonderful about allowing us to do the things we need to do to have a strong program. I really appreciate the fact they've given me that opportunity to stay here this long. I don't take it for granted.
-- Bill Hass
