Jun 9, 2015 By Eleanor Bailey 5 min read

In an age of smartphones, text messaging and emails, Bethel Park volleyball coach Tom Allman employs an old-fashioned approach when communicating with his players.

“Face to face,” said Allman, who does not own a cell phone. “I like to look people in the eyes when I talk to them.

“My players need to address me directly,” he continued. “They all respect that I want them to talk to me directly.”

For 25 years, the method has worked. The technique produced a particularly successful campaign this spring. The Hawks ran the table in winning their fifth Section 1 title. BP then finished third in the WPIAL and reached the PIAA quarterfinals before taking state runner-up Fox Chapel to the limit before ending the season.

Focus and dedication fostered success. Allman said his Hawks won because they “focused” on each match and played each opponent the proverbial “one game at a time.”

“As a matter of fact, one of my main quotes for the year was ‘play every point as it was the most important.’ That way, you did your best and wouldn’t regret what you have done,” said Allman.

Indeed, the Hawks had few regrets. During the regular season, sweep victories, 3-0, against Baldwin and Upper St. Clair highlighted section play. The first encounter with the Highlanders on their home court kept the Hawks undefeated in the league. “We were very focused,” Allman said of the match. The Panthers, however, were another story. “They were ready to play,” Allman said of BP’s opponent. “We were scrambling to finish each game. It was a very close, hard-fought match.”

With both teams undefeated at 6-0 and leading their respective divisions, BP and Plum met for the first of two non-league bouts. In the first happenstance, the Hawks won, 3-2, after dropping the first two games. The second confrontation, however, proved more meaningful. In the WPIAL consolation match, the Hawks defeated the Mustangs, 3-1, to extend their season.

“We came out focused,” explained Allman of the Hawks, who won the first two games, “but we relaxed and let them back into the match.”

With a bronze medal and a PIAA playoff berth in hand, the Hawks outlasted State College, 25-19, 25-21, 19-25, 23-25, 15-13, in the first round of the state tournament. BP fell to Fox Chapel, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 15-9, in the PIAA quarterfinals.

With the loss, the Hawks ended the 2015 campaign with an 18-3 record. Two of the defeats came to the Foxes, who were the WPIAL champion and state runner-up. The other loss came to Seneca Valley in the district semifinals.

With seven of 11 varsity players returning, optimism abounds for the future. However, the Hawks have work to do if they are to reach the pinnacle in scholastic boys’ volleyball.

“Getting to the next plateau is another thing we need to focus on,” Allman said. “This year’s team still had a few weaknesses.”

The improvement project has commenced. The Hawks have already begun off-season training and they are getting more players involved in the Junior Olympics program for the late fall/winter season.

While the core is returning, the Hawks need to fill the spots vacated by Noah Blanc and Steve Eiben. Blanc was a middle hitter; Eiben, an outside hitter. Blanc earned All-WPIAL first-team honors while Eiben gained second-team acclaim. Dipen Avaiya, Joshua Como, Nathan Harrold, Corey Kroboth and David Uhlmann also were seniors and contributors on this year’s club.

“We are already focusing on that project,” said Allman of patching the gaps created by graduation. “Wow,” he exclaimed, “the season really never ends. It is just a little time to recoup and then back to building for next year. But, you have to enjoy what you have done and look forward to what is possible.”

With the return of Jake Dixon, BP’s possibilities appear limitless. The rising senior was named the WPIAL Class AAA co-MVP. The 6-6 hitter also gained all-district first-team and all-section laurels. A three-sport athlete, excelling also in football and basketball, Dixon plays for the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club during the summer. That team has competed in past nationals.

Of Dixon’s abilities Allman said, “Jake is a great athlete with a good vertical jump and a great arm. He does speed and agility training even when he is in his other sports.

“Jake is a pleasure to work with. He still has things he needs to work on, but he is open to coaching so he can improve. Keeping up with three sports still consumes a lot of his time, but he still manages not to get burned out.”

The success candle will continue to burn for the Hawks because of the efforts of veterans such as Brandon Thorsen and Michael Kapusta, too. A rising senior who also plays basketball, Thorsen merited All-WPIAL second-team honors as a setter. Both Thorsen and Kapusta, a sophomore outside hitter, gained all-section attention, too.

“All these players were elite because they put in the extra time in the off-season, playing USA, Junior Olympics or going to nationals, even though they play other varsity sports,” Allman said. “This is critical to their success as well as our team.”

In addition to Dixon and Thorsen, rising seniors that should contribute to next year’s success include: Joe Karras, Derek Miller, Andy Wagner and Jacob Wengryn. In addition to Kapusta, Vincent Dongilli, Zachary Lizun, Caleb Pierson and Connor Savrese have two more seasons to compete for the Hawks.