The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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June 26, 2009

Former MSU volleyball coaches start business

By Dan Stillwell

Tim Berry might have resigned as Mountain State University’s volleyball coach, but he’s still up to his elbows in the sport.

Berry and his assistant last season with the Cougars, Mary McNicol, have formed a new business aimed at preparing volleyball players for the collegiate level.

The West Virginia Women’s Athletic Development Co. will travel to area high schools, middle schools and elementary schools to offer on-site instruction in volleyball.

“Our concept is simple: Instead of having a clinic in one place once a year, why not offer it to the schools year-round,” Berry said. “We’ll work with their volleyball coaches as to what they need for their teams.”

Berry has coached 23 years. He guided MSU to the 2007 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and was named KIAC coach of the year.

He guided MSU to a 29-15 record last year in his final season at the Cougars’ helm.

Berry also led Shady Spring High School to the Class AA state championship game in 2002.

McNicol played four years at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., and attended graduate school at Aberdeen College in Scotland before coming to Beckley.

Last summer, she held volleyball clinics over a period of eight weeks at MSU. Berry’s clinics had always been one to three days long.

“We were amazed at the number of kids who came out and had a great time,” Berry said. “They were coming every week.”

That spurred the idea of turning the clinics into a business.

McNicol will do most of the coaching while Berry will handle the business and the scheduling. Two former MSU players, All-America Jennifer Sloan and all-KIAC player Jennifer Basher, will help with instruction.

The company will hold two-day, three-hour sessions at the schools. Liberty, Nicholas County and Westside high schools, along with St. Francis Elementary, have already signed up.

Berry and McNicol will also assist in getting area players recruited by colleges.

“I’m referring players now to college coaches I’ve had dealings with the last 13 years,” Berry said.

Future plans include starting a club team and forming a volleyball academy. There will also be eight-week spring clinics next year.

“Mary will coach our 18-under team, and as expansion occurs, qualified coaches will be brought about to coach our new teams,” Berry said.

Besides the 18-under team, Berry hopes to have 16-under, 14-under and 12-under travel teams. He’d also like to see a league created with weekly matches.

Ultimately, the company hopes to have its own facility with a competition volleyball court.

Coaches interested in scheduling on-site clinics with Berry and McNicol can contact Berry at timberry77@suddenlink.net, McNicol at mary.mcnicol@gmail.com or by calling 304-591-6489.

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