Ron Kordes commands the attention of his Assumption team. Photo by Thom Wachtel

The Rockets lost twice at Durango in 2004 – a season’s worth of losses for a typical Kordes-coached squad -- but emerged a better team. They won 19 of their final 20 matches that year and reclaimed the Nike Challenge and Kentucky state titles that had eluded them the year before.

That success and the achievements of Assumption’s players during the club season –six played on the Asics KiVA squad that won 17 Open at JOs and three more played on the KiVA 15 Open runner up team – resulted in Assumption’s being ranked No. 1 nationally to start the year and kicked up the pressure of expectations surrounding the 2005 season several more notches.

Opening the 2005 season at Presentation August 17, Kordes understood the journey that lay ahead. His Rockets would be playing the toughest schedule in the nation while being expected to win each and every match in convincing fashion. Moreover, as coach, he would have to manage a 17-player roster overflowing with A-list talent. Keeping that many standouts happy when only six could be on the floor at any one time would be a challenge all by itself.

At Assumption, the Rockets don’t ease into their season. They jump in with both feet. After sweeping Presentation, they hosted Indianapolis Cathedral, the 2004 Indiana Class 4A state runners up. Assumption recorded another sweep. Over the next three weeks, the Rockets would sweep nine more opponents, including Indiana’s reigning Class 4A and 2A champions, Muncie Central and Muncie Burris; Sacred Heart, the 2003 Kentucky state champions; 2004 Kentucky state runner up Mercy Academy and Cincinnati St. Ursula, the 2003 Ohio Div. I titleists and PrepVolleyball.com National Champion.

Standing at 11-0, the Rockets were winning and winning easily while Kordes and his staff managed to find playing time for everyone on the roster. That meant that starters who would play all the way around for most teams had to sub out when they rotated to the back row. It also meant that reserves who would start for just about any other team in the country had to be content cheerleading until their numbers were called.

“There was no grumbling,” said Kaelin. “When everybody looks around and we’re winning…Our goal was to do what we did. When we’re doing that, it’s kind of hard not to be happy about that. Everybody sacrificed for the big win.”

Still, the challenges of playing a large and talented roster were considerable.

“First of all it takes a roster of very unselfish kids to make it work,” said Kordes. “They buy into the team concept and although they realize they could have a much more active role at another program, they are still willing to sacrifice some of their court time to be a part of something special. It could not be done without that attitude. As a coach, I am constantly balancing the decision of how to delegate the playing time. I have to make sure the starting rotations are getting enough time to develop in a game atmosphere and at the same time try to get other people on the court for them to develop some confidence in their abilities to play at that level. Volleyball is unique in being a sport without a time clock. As anyone having any experience with volleyball understands, any time you substitute in a volleyball match, you are putting momentum on the line. This is sometimes difficult due to the tough schedule and competition we play.”

The weekend of Sept. 9-10, Assumption took its unblemished record to the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The Rockets should have been looking ahead to the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas the following weekend, but if they were, it did not show. Assumption stomped all five of its opponents, including a St. Henry team it would eventually meet in the state finals, to take the title.

The team could now prepare for Durango and the challenge of playing Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach, California. The Mustangs may have been ranked below Assumption to start the year, but many observers, including everyone west of the Mississippi, fully expected the No. 2 Mustangs, who were seeded first in the tourney, to ascend to No. 1 after beating Assumption at Durango. After all, Mira Costa, the defending California Div. I state champs, had the size and skill of a college team, led by 5-11 lefty setter Taylor Carico and 6-4 OH Alix Klineman, two of the top 10 players in the country.

As expected, both teams rolled into the finals at Durango, though Assumption lost its first game of the year, to eventual 2005 California Div. I champion Los Alamitos, before winning 25-8, 15-8. Kordes explained his thinking heading into the championship match with Mira Costa:

“We realized that we could not match up in size with them at the net,” he said. “Therefore, our strategy was somewhat simple in that we felt we had to keep their offense as far off the net as possible and we had to keep free balls at a minimum. If we allowed them to have the ball where they wanted it, we were not going to be around for a very long time. Our idea was to try to disrupt the offense by very aggressive serving and try to frustrate their attackers with some exceptional defense. Finally, our goal, as it always is, is to never quit. I think that fact that we were ranked #1 but seeded #2 in Vegas was an added incentive for the girls. They felt they had something to prove.”

The final was extraordinary. Assumption won a back and forth first game, 33-31, lost the second 25-22, but rallied for the 15-11 win in Game 3 to keep their undefeated season intact and retain their No. 1 ranking nationally.

“It was thrilling,” said legendary Mustang coach Dae Lea Aldrich afterwards. “It was great volleyball. Volleyball at THAT level in high school? I’ve been around so long. It’s unbelievable how much better the volleyball has gotten. That was comparable to an NCAA final in year’s past.”

“People ask how long are you going to do this,” Kordes said at the time. “If I could get a couple of those every year, who knows how long I’ll do this? That was so energizing, it’s unbelievable!”

That explains why Kordes isn’t content to stay in state and win state titles.

“Winning against quality competition is the true challenge and reward,” said Kordes, who is 612-54 with the Rockets. “When I started coaching at Assumption 17 years ago, there were only a limited number of high schools playing competitive volleyball in Kentucky. To fill our schedule with quality competition would mean playing the same teams over and over. With my contacts from club ball, we started scheduling teams from out of state to play the best competition we could find. Playing a tough schedule and having been somewhat successful doing so, has provided a lot of respect and opportunities for our high schools and club programs in Kentucky. It provided a challenge to our players and our coaching staff.”

Assumption was 26-0 with wins over 11 nationally ranked opponents when it pulled into Chicago for the Nike Challenge in early October. If the Rockets won four matches, they were likely staring at a rematch with Mira Costa, which had rearranged its schedule to play in the tournament one year ahead of its normal three-year rotation.

After beating 2004 Illinois AA champion Mother McAuley the night before in a tournament prelude, the Rockets made quick work of their opponents in the Challenge, including a sweep of three-time reigning Nebraska Class A champion Belleville West in the semifinals. Mira Costa, which would win the California Div. II state title this year, was next and the Mustangs were ready, controlling the first game and most of the second.

A hallmark of Kordes-coached teams is that they never, ever quit. Trailing 23-20 in Game 2 after dropping the first, Assumption rallied to win the game and eventually the match.

“When we came back on them, we grabbed the momentum,” said Kordes after the match. “Momentum’s a big thing and our seniors took over from there.”

Kordes on the bench enjoys a light moment with his team while assistant Annie Filley looks on. Photo by Thom Wachtel

“I think it is extremely hard to compare teams and therefore I tend not to do it,” he said. “The one thing that I can think of that made this national championship a bit different would be that in previous national championship seasons, including 2001, we were ranked high at the beginning of the season and worked our way to the top as the season progressed. When doing that, you have to have the cooperation of other teams -- either defeating a higher ranked team or losing themselves. Without a doubt, there is a much more pressure in being preseason ranked No. 1 and have to hold that ranking until season end. In your mind, you know that you have no room for error. There is only one way to go from No. 1. The only other difference I can think of was that we strengthened the schedule with the addition of the Durango Classic and we also had the opportunity to compete against our closest ranked competitor, No. 2 Mira Costa. It is rare in a poll situation that the number 1 and 2 teams get to play each other and we had that opportunity twice.”

“The 2005 season will leave a lot of good memories in my mind,” Kordes continued. “A National Championship, State Championship and an undefeated season will certainly be pleasant memories for 2005. I will certainly remember our two marquee matches with Mira Costa in Las Vegas and Chicago and the courage our team displayed in winning both of those matches. Lastly, I think I will always remember how impressed I was with this team and how they handled the pressure of such a season. The chemistry and unselfishness of this team was unbelievable along with the outstanding maturity and leadership displayed by our seniors. They made 2005, not only a very successful season, but even more importantly, a very FUN one.”

Though Kordes was quick to give his assistant coaches, his seniors and the rest of this team the credit for his team’s success, Kaelin said that the team’s great season starts with the coach.

“He always talks about team bonding and playing together,” she said. “This year was really different. We all got along. We all clicked well. He definitely did that. I don’t know how but he did.”

“I think we have a special relationship,” she said. “At school, we wrote Advent Letters to say ‘Thank you’ to someone. I wrote mine to him. He’s not just a coach; he’s a parent figure and a friend. He’s taught us so much, not just about volleyball.”

Congratulations to Ron Kordes, 2005 PrepVolleyball.com National Coach of the Year.

Other coaches considered: Sandy Garrard, Martinsville (Indiana); Judy Kight, Mead (Spokane, Washington); Sue Murphy, Chaska (Minnesota); Lisa Orlet, Incarnate Word (St. Louis, Missouri); Caryl Schawe, Roger Bacon (Cincinnati, Ohio); Steve Shondell, Burris (Muncie, Indiana); Alynn Wright St. Francis (Sacramento, California)

Coaches of the Year since John Tawa’s been naming them:

2005: Ron Kordes, Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky)

2004: Nancy Pedersen, Mother McAuley (Chicago, Illinois) and Gwenn Pike, Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kansas)

2003: Tom Keating, Wahlert (Dubuque, Iowa)

2002: Dave Shondell, Central (Muncie, Indiana)

2001: Jan Barker, Amarillo (Texas)

2000: Virginia Kelly, Olympic Heights (Boca Raton, Florida)