by Andrea Gardner
Managing Editor
The men’s volleyball team will not be led by coach Don Flora next year.
Flora’s resignation as volleyball coach will take effect at the end of this year’s season.
According to Flora and athletic director Jim Paschal, the decision was made by Flora upon receiving an offer from University Relations to work full time as the assistant director of planned giving in the department.
According to Flora, who had been working part time in University Relations, along with being in his fourth year as head coach, the part time schedules were not allowing him to complete his duties to his standards.
“I’m not a perfectionist, but I want to do things well. My schedule wouldn’t allow me to do that,” Flora said.
Though he is glad to be starting his full time position, Flora says departing from the coaching position is difficult.
“It’s the right thing but an incredibly painful thing, because they are a good bunch of guys. They are a strange mix, but they are a good bunch of guys,” said Flora.
“I think he did a really good job. Don really seems to know what he’s doing; I really learned a lot from him,” said freshman outside hitter Jeremy Collins.
“He did his best in making us a D1 [NCAA Division I] team,” said freshman middle blocker Adam Black.
Besides coaching the men’s volleyball team throughout the season and doing the recruiting for the team, Flora was also an assistant coach for the women’s team and did a large portion of the recruiting for them also.
According to Paschal, Flora was also instrumental in adding Division I teams to La Verne’s schedule.
“It takes a lot of self-confidence and guts to jump into that arena and play,” he said.
“We’re very disappointed with him leaving; he recruited all of us, and now he won’t be our coach next year,” said Collins.
“I can understand why he is leaving,” said Black.
“He’s done an excellent job of raising the play at the University of La Verne; hopefully we will be able to find somebody to replace him,” said Paschal.
Said Flora, “My hope is that the right person will take it (the team) and bring it to the next level.”
We’re hoping to get a solid coaching staff, and to have a winning season next year,” said Collins.
Paschal says he has already begun looking for a new coach. He says he has been calling other institutions and hopes to fill the position sometime in the month of April.
According to Flora, there has been strong interest in the position.
Paschal said he wants to find a person that will “fit into the La Verne situation.”
Said Paschal, “We have a solid base for the program and we don’t want to lose that base.”
Flora’s four year record as head men’s volleyball coach is 37-73. He will continue to be the assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team next year.
