Brendan Rand ’11
Staff Writer
Social Studies teacher Jonathan Shepro, who for the past three years has coached the junior varsity girls volleyball team, will be taking over as the head coach of the varsity team this year.
“I’m most excited about working with the girls and seeing improvement over the course of the season,” Shepro said. “Of course I look forward to the competition and some exciting games.”
Shepro inherits a volleyball team that went 15-3 this past season. They made it all the way to the semifinals in the FCIAC tournament and the semifinals in the CIAC Class LL State Tournament. The team will be coming into the season with high expectations.
“I have the highest expectations for the varsity team,” he said. “I promise the girls will do everything they can to represent Staples in the way we have all come to expect.”
Shepro, who also is the head coach of the ski team, will be taking over for former varsity girls head coach Bruce Betts, who stepped down to focus on coaching the boys’ volleyball team.
“Betts [has] served as a mentor for me for about 10 years going back to my days coaching in Trumbull,” he said. “He has taught me so much about how to run a team that practices good sportsmanship, strong effort and team play.”
Coach Betts believes that the girls volleyball program will benefit greatly from Mr. Shepro’s experience.
“I think that the girls volleyball program is in great hands,” he said. “The Staples Athletic Department couldn’t have asked for a better guy to coach the team.”
Tri-captain Alex Masiello ’11 believes that Shepro’s excitement for coaching will help the team this year.
“I am really looking forward to having Shepro as a coach this year because he is just as excited as the players,” said Masiello, who is a captain this season with Dana Rappaport ’11 and Lucy Stanley ‘11. “I know we can make it far this year because of the drive Shepro has as a coach.”
Staples held their first volleyball practice on Aug. 28, after press time. The team will begin its season at home against Westhill High School at 4:00 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 16.