Robert Lehr

My only experience as a volleyball coach was in the early 1970s when I started a boys’ volleyball program at Spring Grove High School in Pennsylvania.  I kept 11 players on the team so that I could play.  We practiced every morning at 6:30 A.M.  I still remember girls’ volleyball from the 1950’s when each player was permitted two hits, which meant a player could bump it to herself and then set another player.  Thankfully that soon gave way to power volleyball, and look at the game today; incredibly popular at all levels and throughout the world.  I am recently retired from the CIAC where I was given the opportunity to oversee volleyball.  My wife and I have the good fortune of raising our granddaughter, who was a pretty good ski racer-until she found volleyball.  She played volleyball at Kennedy Middle School and eventually transferred to St. Paul Catholic High School.  Because of the beauty of the game itself as well as my granddaughter Olivia’s participation, I grew to love the game, at all levels.  I tried throughout my years at the CIAC to keep volleyball moving forward and upward, including the maintenance of a good relationship with club volleyball, something that hopefully benefitted both entities.  I hope that in some small way that I gave back something positive to volleyball, because it gave me wonderful professional and personal opportunities and memories.  I am extremely grateful for the honor.

Posted in 2021, CIAC, Honorary, Waterbury.