Together.
As a team.
St. Margaret’s boys volleyball program rose from the deepest depths of losing.
Under the guidance of current athletic director and girls volleyball coach Susie Maga, the boys team captured its first CIF title in 2001.
However, five years later in 2006 the program bottomed out. The varsity team lost every game of every match.
“I think it was something like 0-93,” said St. Margaret’s co-coach Karch Kiraly, who teamed up with Jeremy Dailey the next season in hopes of rebuilding the Tartans into CIF contenders and knowing it would take contributions from everyone to do it.
The mission came to fruition this season, four years later, when the St. Margaret’s boys volleyball team hoisted its second CIF championship plaque after defeating Arrowhead Christian of Redlands in the Division 5 sectional final.
“One of the things that gives me the greatest joy is the fact the team took ownership of the game on the court,” Kiraly said. “It’s really important not to make it about the coach and make it about the players. That match was greatly meaningful for us. It’s what we cared most about.
“We had asked them to do what they have never done before and they worked hard to get comfortable on the court. For them to earn championship was awesome to watch.”
As a result of their dedication and commitment, Dailey and Kiraly are the Orange County Register’s boys volleyball coaches of the year for the 2010 season.
“I feel Karch has done an unbelievable job,” Dailey said. “His volleyball knowledge on an intellectual level, I don’t know if he can be matched.
“Ultimately though, I think it’s a reflection of the players and their hard work.”
Kiraly has won everything; the coach of the year award only the latest item. The volleyball great has championships and/or gold medals in CIF, NCAA, AVP and Olympic volleyball.
“I don’t even think of this award as mine,” Kiraly said. “I think of it as my guys’.
“After the rough season four years ago, my wife was saying you got to help them out and find a little success. I watched a couple practices. I didn’t want to intrude or be a helicopter parent. I thought they could be ran more efficiently.”
The first to sign off on the idea had to be Karch’s sons, Kristian and Kory, as Karch didn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable. Kristian was going to be a sophomore and Kory a freshman.
They gave the OK, the school was receptive to the idea and the partnership began. The most celebrated volleyball player in history was now going to attempt winning as a coach, but he didn’t look at it as pressure.
“I feel a responsibility to give them my best and to help them to do their best,” Kiraly said. “Jeremy does a lot of the work behind the scenes and taking care of all those responsibilities.
“I wanted to come in and make as many times as they touch the ball in any given practice to be the most mindful and most productive touches they can be. I wanted them to never waste a contact in the gym. You need to make all of them count.”
The culture changed immediately. Practices were designed for every player to get one percent better every day.
When St. Margaret’s was playing against lesser opponents, the rallying cry was to improve one percent that day.
So after senior opposite Woody Quinn struggled during a recent victory in the CIF Division 3 regional, it wasn’t surprising to hear him say, “I don’t feel like I got too much better today. I did play through frustration, so maybe that’s where I got better.
“I think Karch and Jeremy are a great combo. Karch is obviously Karch. He has loads of knowledge. Dailey is also a great coach. We mesh really well.”
Dailey had no trouble adjusting to the roles of co-coaches. The experience of working with someone of Kiraly’s caliber was invaluable.
“The ego and that part of it was easy,” Dailey said. “It was all about what we wanted for these kids. From the standpoint, we were pretty in sync with our overall goals. It’s been a blessing and a privilege.”
