Champions at last…Tipp’s Howard Garcia raises his arms in victory following match point in last week’s Division III title win over Bloom-Carroll. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
He authored an undefeated season and guided Tipp to its first-ever state title in volleyball…more than enough to garner our Press Pros COTY honors for area volleyball.
If there’s any question over Tipp City’s Howard Garcia receiving anyone’s recognition as Coach of The Year, state-wide (let alone in southwest Ohio), in girls volleyball, well, then…you don’t know Howard Garcia.
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You don’t understand his patience…his depth of knowledge about the game and its personality…and his understanding the psyche of adolescent athletes and how to bring them together confidently for a common purpose.
You don’t understand his ability to prioritize, his ability to manage crisis, and separate a molehill from a real, bonafide mountain.
You do those things, along with having a mix of experience and a knack for developing talent…and you can not only win an OHSAA state championship, but do it in unbeaten style (29-0).
In fact, that’s exactly what Garcia accomplished last weekend at Wright State’s Nutter Center, besting the state’s #1-ranked contender Akron Hoban in the semi-final round on Friday (at Wittenberg), and then Bloom-Carroll in the Division III title game on Saturday.
As cool as the other side of the pillow…is how you might characterize the two-time title winner (previously with Hamilton Badin in 2013), when he so accurately said prior to the state finals, “All we have to do is be better once. We don’t have to beat anyone nine out of ten times…we just have to beat them once.”
“You only have to be better once. I don’t care about the other nine out of ten.” – Howard Garcia
And the genius in what he said was in his ability to eliminate the stress that comes with coaching adolescents through the biggest athletic spotlight in their lives – how you handle once-in-a-lifetime!
His preparation for the championship weekend was all about tightening up the same skills they’d worked on since August…and then trusting the confidence and leadership of his five seniors – Savannah Clawson, Brianna Morris, Courtney Post, Kaylee Armstrong, and Morgan Sessions. Like few coaches I have ever met, Howard Garcia relied on what he believed he knew about the character of those five girls. Many give lip service to senior leadership, but Howard walked the walk like few I can name.
“I told them between sets three and four of the championshp match,” he said later. “This is no longer a matter of your skill. Now it’s a matter of your heart and your unity.”
He may have said more, but that’s what he admitted to, at least. And it was enough.
Like few other championship finales, ever, his players took that bit of perspective and ran with it – a 19-3 run after being tied at 7-7, and simply overwhelmed whatever competitive challenge Bloom-Carroll had left to offer.
Garcia later showed his emotion after 14 committed years of shaping Tipp volleyball – and the near misses with recent teams that he had shaped in the same manner.
“But this,” he said, doing his best to find his normal cool in such moments, “…this is the best high school team I’ve ever coached.”
With appreciation for history, and a well-turned phrase, our congratulations to Tippecanoe’s Howard Garcia, our Press Pros Coach of The Year in area volleyball.
You only have to beat them once…on the day when it matters most!
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