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SUNNY Temp: 54 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Friday, October 3, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 30, 2003 North’s Beick continues to roll on Prep Notebook By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Ron Beick didn’t plan to coach volleyball for more than five or six years when he took a job at the club level in Los Angeles in the late 1970s. Beick owned a wholesale sporting goods store at the time that required him to work far more than 40 hours per week. And although volleyball was a passion, he couldn’t see it occupying his free time forever. But 26 years and 400 victories later, Beick remains in the gym teaching the sport he loves. Advertisement The North Medford High coach notched his 400th win at a tournament in Albany on Saturday. "I love to coach — I guess that’s pretty obvious," says Beick, 47, who has suffered only 130 losses in his 530 matches. "I didn’t think I’d be at it this long, but I enjoy being around kids and I like the challenges and the excitement of the game." Born and raised in Southern California, Beick graduated from San Gabriel High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business at UC-San Diego and later obtained a master’s degree in finance at UCLA. Beick ran his sporting goods business for 13 years but grew weary of the long hours. He also grew tired of Southern California, and when he and his wife, Molly, had their first child, they decided it was time for new surroundings. North Medford hired Beick in the fall of 1994. "I had taken some teams through this area on our way to Bend and Eugene," Beick says. "It always seemed like a nice place. "Then my wife’s parents moved up here, and we liked it even more." Beick, who coached at three high schools in California before migrating to Oregon, has won four Southern Oregon Conference titles and taken North Medford to the state playoffs in each of his nine previous seasons with the Black Tornado. His 1997 team finished sixth at the Class 4A state tournament and his ‘98 squad took third. The mild-mannered Beick also has the distinction of never having lost to cross-town rival South Medford in an SOC match — a streak that grew to 19 straight earlier this month. Beick’s success can be traced mostly to the preparedness of his teams. "His teams are always well-prepared and he also does a good job of making adjustments during a match," says Roseburg coach Bruce Myers, whose Indians are the only team that has handed the Tornado a conference loss this season. Adds North Medford athletic director Mike Kay: "When it comes to pressure situations, Ron’s kids know how to react because he’s prepared them so well. He’s a great technician." That readiness begins at the club level, where Beick’s blueprint has been a model for other volleyball coaches in the Rogue Valley. He encourages his players to play in the offseason, but doesn’t discourage them from playing other sports. "Kids can get burned out playing one sport," Beick says. "It used to be that college (volleyball) coaches wanted their recruits to focus solely on volleyball, but they discovered they were burning out. Kids also tend to be better athletes if they’re exposed to other sports. "We go mostly from January to April for our club stuff, but we’re flexible for the kids who play other sports." Beick believes the most important aspect of volleyball is passing. Without it, he says, none of the other elements has a chance of succeeding. "You can have the greatest hitter in the world, but if you can’t get the ball to them, then you’re going to be an average team at best," he says. "You’ve got to be good at mixing in every component of the game and creating practice settings that keep the kids challenged. "But if you can’t pass, you won’t win." In light of that, Beick begins developing setters — volleyball’s equivalent of quarterbacks — three or four years before they get to North. "It’s not just a case of having good hands and good instincts," he says. "You’re also looking for leadership qualities." Beick’s current team, ranked fourth in the Class 4A poll, is 4-1 in the SOC and 13-2 overall heading into tonight’s home match against conference co-leading Ashland. The Tornado advanced to the championship match of the South Albany tournament before losing to top-ranked West Linn, 25-19, 25-22. "This group didn’t think it was a state contender at the start of the season, but it has the ability to beat anyone," Beick says. With Beick at the helm, that has pretty much been standard procedure for the Tornado. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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