Young Tars taking shape

CHRIS YEMMA

Some people call him the “volleyball guy.”

Others call him the “guru.”

But, right now, his most important nickname is “coach.”

That’s what the Newport Harbor High frosh/soph girls volleyball

team calls him. Coach Ric Jennings, that is.

Jennings, in his first year coaching high school volleyball, is

coaching and teaching on the grass-roots level. His students are a

part of a farm team for the big daddy -- varsity volleyball at

Newport Harbor -- which has produced standouts such as Misty May,

April Ross, Melissa Schutz and Jennifer Carey, who went on to star

collegiately at Long Beach State, USC, Colorado and Hawaii,

respectively.

Jennings is responsible for nurturing, grooming and shaping his

players into ones who are ready to join Coach Dan Glenn’s varsity.

Currently, Jennings’ squad is shaping up just fine, with a 19-5 l

record, 5-1 in the Sea View League. And the team looks to be sending

off a few players to the “majors” next season.

“This is a special team,” Jennings said. “I don’t know if anyone

could beat us. A lot of these players will produce on varsity.”

A couple of the players he mentioned who could soon be ready for

varsity competition were Laura Clayton, Amanda Barker and Katie

Regan.

Jennings has been involved in volleyball for the better part of

his life. He played on a beach doubles tour in 1975. More recently,

he started a volleyball business called the Junior Spikers, located

in Huntington Beach -- a summer youth camp he started for his

daughter Alyson, who played volleyball at Newport Harbor and is

currently a freshman starting at the University of Texas.

He also runs adult leagues throughout Orange County. But his

primary task right now is coaching these younger players.

Glenn, currently in his 19th year coaching volleyball for Newport

Harbor, has seen all sorts of all-star players come through his

program, including Jennings’ daughter.

But now he has a coach with plenty of experience who will produce

good players in the future.

“Depending on how long I stay, there will be good players for

years to come,” Jennings said. “With this crop right now, they’re

going to be tough down the road.”