Perry retires as Rudyard volleyball coach
RUDYARD — One of the most successful volleyball coaching careers in Eastern UP history ended this spring as Rudyard’s Ellen Perry has announced her retirement from the sport.
Perry remains as a physical education teacher at Rudyard Elementary School, and plans to be back for a 32nd year. But she has called it a career for coaching after 27 seasons.
Perry coached Rudyard through a multitude of changes in volleyball over the years. Some of the major transitions in the sport included going from sideout scoring to rally scoring, the switch from playing in the winter to the fall, and the expansion of a MHSAA U.P.-only finals tournament to statewide finals tournament.
Through it all, Perry guided the Bulldogs to five seasons of 30 or more wins and an overall record of 630-415-155.
“My greatest treasure has been the lifelong relationships with so many great kids, coaches I’ve met, and experiences we’ve shared,” Perry said. “We won a few games, but hoping I taught some life lessons and helped some people along the way. My family sacrificed some too, and I love them dearly for supporting me.”
Rudyard won conference, district, regional and quarterfinal titles in 2019, with a team that had just one senior, Nina Alpers. Perry was the MIVCA Region 2 Coach of the Year as the Bulldogs reached the state’s Final Four for the first time, after coming off a quarterfinal appearance the previous season. The Bulldogs lost to the Leland Comets in the semifinals at Battle Creek, finishing 35-5-3 overall. Criteria for the MIVCA Coach of the Year award included development of players, management of total program, fostering high expectations on and off the court and sportsmanship.
“Making it to the Final Four for the first time was one of the season highlights,” Perry said. “As a program we’ve been in the semifinals in past years, but that was when it was a U.P.-only tournament. Our kids were excited to play on the big statewide stage at Battle Creek.”
Perry coached 12 all-state players and 16 student-athletes who went on to play college volleyball or other college sports.
Rudyard strung together a third undefeated season in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference in 2019 and extended its overall unbeaten streak in the league to 39 matches. Rudyard received Academic All-State honors (3.30 team GPA or higher) for the 12th time and fifth consecutive year, with a team GPA of 3.61.
“Ellen was such a huge part of our athletic program here at Rudyard High School,” Rudyard Athletic Director John Krentz said. “She has mentored many coaches and built our volleyball program to a winning, well-respected team state wide. She certainly will be missed by all of us. She has left some pretty big shoes to fill. I see Ellen being inducted into the Michigan coaches hall of fame.
“Ellen is a coach that will certainly leave a huge void in our program,” Krentz said. “She was so good at getting the best out of all her athletes. Not just athletic wise but life lessons-wise as well. She was just an awesome coach and a joy to work with.”
The Bulldogs’ team traditions developed in volleyball included hosting their annual Volley for a Cure fund-raiser match, which raised over $35,000 for the American Cancer Society.
“That event has taught our kids about playing for something bigger than yourself,” Perry said. “The team’s commitment to community service, and our team’s academic honors are probably the two biggest things I’m most proud of.”
Before Upper Peninsula teams were designated to compete in the MHSAA statewide finals, Perry guided Rudyard to the U.P. Class ABC championship in 1996 and U.P. runner-up finishes in 1995 and ’97. The 1996 Bulldogs compiled what still stands as a program-best record of 44-2-2.