Berkeley Prep volleyball coach Randy Dagostino teaches, earns respect

Respect.

Aretha Franklin spelled it out for music fans.

Randy Dagostino lives it, especially on the hardwood. As head coach of Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), Dagostino's team goals always include respect.

"Our team goals are always to play the game with respect and play the game the right way," said Dagostino, in his 28th year as Berkeley Prep's volleyball coach. "And also win as many matches as we can. If that means we win a state championship, then that is great."

Playing with respect has worked for the former Tampa Preparatory School athletic director. The Buccaneers, 25-2, are ranked ninth in the nation by MaxPreps. The team could win its third consecutive state championship, and 15th overall. For Dagostino, who recently earned his 800th win and in 2008 was inducted into the Florida High School Hall of Fame, another state title is on his "to-do" list.

"My goal is right in front of us: to win our 15th state championship," he said. To do that, he has to get through districts and three rounds of regionals. The state tourney is slated for Nov. 16-17 in Kissimmee.

"It's going to be tough," said Dagostino, 60. "We are in the toughest class (4A) in the state. That class includes Cardinal Gibbons (Ft. Lauderdale, 20-1) and Bishop Moore (Orlando, 25-1), whose only loss this year was a five-set match to Berkeley Prep in its own tournament.

History would seem to favor the Buccaneers, who haven't lost to a Florida team in two years. Dagostino credits his success to his players, and being able to capitalize on their strengths.

"I have been told that I get the most out of my players that I can possibly get out of them," said Dagostino, who has been the Buccaneer athletic director for three decades. "Another key (to success) is having good players to coach."

This year, those players include senior outside hitter Jordan Burgess, libero Katie O'Drobinak and setter Mackenzie Dagostino, Randy's daughter. Burgess has committed to Stanford while Dagostino is headed to the University of Maryland. O'Drobinak has yet to make a decision.

Getting his players to the next level is nothing new to Dagostino. More than 80 of his student athletes have played at the collegiate level — pretty impressive for a coach who played baseball in college.

Dagostino got into volleyball because of a physical education class he was required to take in college (University of Illinois) in the 1970s. He liked it, and took an advanced class. A beach volleyball tournament followed. He liked the game more. When Berkeley Prep's volleyball position came open in 1983, Dagostino took the job. In 1984, he organized Florida's first club team, The Tampa Bay Juniors, a team that still exists.

"Florida volleyball has grown dramatically," said Dagostino. "From the infancy stage when we were the only club in Florida where we had to scrimmage college clubs to having little pockets in the state pop up. Now we have one of the largest memberships of club sports in the United States, with 11,000 members in U.S. Volleyball. It's the fastest growing region in the nation."

Dagostino says he'd match Florida teams with any region in the country. He considers Southern California to be No. 1, still, with Kentucky coming in second. After that, "we hold our own with any region," he said.

That being said, Dagostino doesn't give much weight to national rankings.

"I think they raise some interest for the sport and certainly the players and families get into them. Also, I think it can create some interesting atmosphere, especially between rival schools before a match," he said. "But virtually it is impossible to be highly accurate."

What is highly accurate is Dagostino's coaching. With a record of 822-161 (as of Oct. 29) his winning percentage is nearly 84 percent. Much of that comes from always wanting the best from his players.

"I tell young players: be good, quick learners, and never be satisfied with where you are at with your game," he said.

He lives by the same credo. "I don't know if it's out of the norm, but just not be satisfied with where our team is at until the season is over."

When the season is over this year, it will be slightly different for Dagostino, whose daughter Mackenzie has been the Buccaneer setter for four years. Mackenzie will graduate in June and play for the UM Terrapins. Coaching your own child isn't easy, but Dagostino says the experience has been wonderful.

"We've both grown from this experience. I wouldn't trade it," he said. "It's been amazing. I'm not saying we haven't butted heads every once in a while. She's very sharp and has a lot to offer. She brings a lot of knowledge.

"Finding someone to succeed her may prove to be a challenge. She's the best leader we've had and a great setter of the ball. She rallies her teammates. How do you replace that? You hope someone comes through with some of those qualities."

He says coaching Mackenzie her senior season has provided one of the highlights of his coaching career.

"Having her and Jordan (Burgess) on the same team has been memorable," Dagostino said. "Jordan is one of those kids who is a joy to coach because you get the same thing every day: practice, match … it doesn't matter the competition or the day. She's a hard worker and a gifted athlete."

Coach Dagostino acknowledges that replacing Burgess and daughter Mackenzie on the court will be challenging, but not necessarily problematic.

"We have six sophomores on our varsity and four of them are in the starting lineup. Also, we have two other sophomore players on our varsity who are being groomed to replace Mackenzie at setter and Jordan on the outside."

And Dagostino plans to be part of that grooming. He intends to return for his 29th year as the Buccaneer volleyball coach, to continue his tradition of teaching respect for the game and its players. He agrees that coaching has changed over the years, but says it's all good.

"Just like anything else, you need to become better to stay ahead. With so many younger, more experienced volleyball people getting involved with coaching this sport, I think the older coaches just have to continue to become better teachers, and be able to manage people well to stay in the game."

For Dagostino, who teaches physical education at Berkeley, staying in the game isn't merely a case of a human body occupying space on the court. It's the notion that playing the game as it is meant to be played — with respect — will provide rewards beyond what the statistics show in the win-loss column. It's also fodder for the best, and most challenging, aspects of coaching.

"The best part of coaching is being in the most incredible match, where both teams are just so even in every aspect of the game. As a coach you are making all the right moves, anticipating plays that your opponent is going to make and helping your team just enough, because they are playing so well that they are on cruise control," explained Dagostino. "The obstacle is just not having the right chemistry to experience that. It is sad to not have your players experience the best part of being on a team."

Which is not necessarily winning, although Dagostino's players have rarely experienced anything but.