There wasn’t much more Mike Maass could have accomplished last season as coach of the Appleton North High School boys volleyball team.
The Lightning finished 34-0 and captured the program’s first state title. For his efforts, Maass was named coach of the year by Volleyball Magazine.
Maass, who is a 1989 Oconto Falls High School graduate, was a little surprised when he found out he had won the award.
“It’s a great honor,” Maass said. “It’s great to have recognition for the North program and the Fox Valley in general. For us to be recognized by a national magazine is a pretty big deal.”
The Appleton North volleyball team wrapped up its season in November, but Volleyball Magazine did not announce its yearly awards until one month ago since states such as California and Illinois do not play their boys volleyball season until the spring.
The Lightning had a phenomenal run in 2012, losing only eight of 108 sets. Appleton North went 18-0 against opponents ranked in the top 10 in the final state poll. The team scored five wins vs. the No. 2- and No. 3-ranked teams in the state.
According to Maass, it’s extremely difficult for a team to go undefeated because opponents become familiar with a team’s style. Appleton North is the first Wisconsin team to not lose a match since the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association brought back boys volleyball as a sanctioned sport in 2000.
The Lightning is also the first Fox Valley-area team to win the state title since Kaukauna in 1982.
Maass took over the Appleton North program 12 seasons ago and has guided the team to state six times (2002, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’09 and ’12) and has a career record of 258-80.
“I suppose winning the title at the end is the most rewarding,” Maass said. “Every other year ended on a loss, but this year was very rewarding.”
Maass has been able to build the Appleton North program into a state power by what he calls a little bit of luck and timing.
“I think one thing that was key was we were successful from the get-go,” Maass said. “In the first year, I think we went like 8-3 in the conference and then the second year we went to state right away.”
The Lightning finished third in the conference in 2001 and have been in the top two every year since. Maass’ teams have won six titles during that time.
Entering last season, Appleton North had never appeared in a state match. However, it finally got over the hump.
“All the chips fell into place to some extent,” Maass said. “Last year we were just more loaded than we’ve ever been. … We had great depth and I think that was really the difference.”
Maass didn’t have any experience with volleyball when he was growing up in Oconto Falls. After graduating from high school, Maass attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Maass’ freshman roommate was a beach volleyball player from Madison and Maass ended up playing a lot outside the dorms.
Midway through his first year, there was a rumor UWM was going to get a volleyball program. The next season, the Panthers added the Division I sport and Maass played on the team his final three years of school.
Maass said he’s pretty hands-on with his players when he needs to be.
“Not in matches so much, I let them play,” Maass said. “I think I’m pretty hands-on in practice. I think that’s where you need to teach the kids to learn what to do and when to do it. I try to base everything off the basic fundamentals – passing, serving, doing things correctly.”
His approach has certainly been effective.
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