Winning touch: Coaching success is nothing new for Soutchmoreland’s Pergar
Southmoreland’s girls volleyball team was coming off its greatest season when Michelle Pergar stepped in as the Lady Scotties’ new coach for 2024.
Taking over a program with the bar set extremely high is never an easy task for a first-year coach.
Pergar and her team were more than up to the challenge.
After winning a section title and picking up its first WPIAL playoff victory a year ago, Pergar guided Southmoreland to another section championship, two more playoff wins to reach the district final four for the first time and to its first PIAA appearance and state playoff win.
It’s nothing new for Pergar. Success has followed her throughout her coaching career.
Southmoreland is the third different school Pergar has coached to a section title, following Hempfield in 2019 and Laurel Highlands in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She also steered Albert Gallatin to its first two playoff appearances in 2016 and 2017.
Pergar has been a college coach as well at Penn State Fayette in 2007 and for part of a season at California University of Pa.
This year’s Lady Scotties squad, which finished 17-6 overall, defeated North Star, 3-2, for its landmark state win by scores of 25-18, 18-15, 26-24, 22-25 and 15-6.
“I said to the girls this is something you’re going to cherish forever,” Pergar said. “They’re going to come back to school years down the road and they’re going to see that banner up there. They’re going to be able to talk to any of their future children about it. It’s one of those things that, for now, as young as they are, will be ever present. They’re always going to be the first to do that in volleyball.”
When asked what was the key to her coaching success, Pergar modestly deflected credit to the players she’s had.
“I think it’s not me, it’s just what I can bring out in the girls,” Pergar said. “All of these schools have very athletic young ladies, some of which I’ve had the honor of coaching when they were little. They’re just naturally athletically inclined. I say that all the time, I didn’t make them the way they are, God made them that way and their parents did, and I just kind of added a little extra spice to it.”
There are a myriad of different coaching styles and Pergar expressed hers.
“Being a coach, you’re trying to find that fine line of being tough but also personable with them,” she said. “Having all that time with them in the summer helps. At Laurel Highlands we did a summer league as well as AG. A chance to work with them for a couple years helped in getting that bond with them. Not a friendship kind of bond but just an appreciation and respect for each other. That goes a long way because they know if I’m pushing them it means that I care about them and I see potential in them.
“The girls I’ve had the honor of coaching over the past couple years, a lot of them have had a lot of athleticism and potential that I just was fortunate enough to get out of them. It’s not me, it’s their natural ability and finding that way to connect with them. Some kids like to be coached hard. Others need more of a compassionate critique. That’s kind of been my coaching style and what I’ve emulated from previous coaches I’ve had.”
Pergar was an outstanding volleyball player herself.
“I’m from Maryland originally and played at Lock Haven,” she pointed out. “I started as a freshman and we won some section titles, PSAC championships and we went to the Elite Eight three out of the four years I was there. I played outside.”
This year’s Southmoreland squad, led by seniors Taylor Doppelheuer, Riley Puckey and Makayla Etling, and juniors Zoey Welling and Ainsley Martin, lost some key players to graduation, namely Taylor’s older sister Kaylee Doppelheuer and Amarah McCutcheon.
“The girls that graduated were strong powerhouses but I knew those coming back were very capable and they could be just as good if not stronger in some aspects when it came to the defensive portion,” Pergar said. “Ava Bradley was able to come up as a sophomore and so was Morgan Riddle and they had humongous shoes to fill in Taylor’s sister and Amarah. Those two younger girls thankfully came through, and the rest of the girls were already in place. It was just a matter of pulling a little extra of that potential out of them and kind of altering the lineups a little bit.
“Taylor was one of our top hitters. She can find the floor as in not always just swinging but chipping and pushing it to corners. She was one of our top servers as well. Ainsley did pop in some for her this year because mainly she is quicker and faster, but Taylor was very much able to play defense. Blocking was another thing she provided us.”
Puckey and Welling served as mainly setters a year ago but Pergar expanded both players’ roles this season.
Puckey “has the full package,” Pergar said, commending her setting, blocking, swinging and tipping.
Welling played mostly in the front row last year but was used everywhere this season.
“They’re both wonderful setters. I called them both setter/right side hitter,” Pergar said. “Welling has come into her own with hitting and she has a really wonderful jump float serve.
“The fact that she’s able to work with girls all ages and find a connection with them as far as tempo for the hitters is really nice.”
Pergar especially appreciated Martin’s hustle.
“Ainsley, not that I’m a big fan of it, but she wears elbow pads for a reason,” Pergar said. “This girl will throw her body on the floor and pick up balls that you never suspected. We faced some phenomenal hitters and she was digging or touching the ball just enough to keep it alive for us to play. She’ll run anything down. And she’s a strong server who had a ton of aces. She also can swing. She’s not afraid to take swings from the back row.”
It all added up to a special season for Southmoreland and a success story at yet another different school for Pergar.