On December 10th, thirty six seniors will gather at Kiski Area High School for the first ever We Serve First All-Star Classic. Joining them will be four of the Kiski Valley’s finest coaches. These coaches have a combined 60 years of experience, eight WPIAL titles and two PIAA titles between them. Before they meet on the hardwood at Kiski their skills will be tested in a different way, as they’ll be tasked with selecting their teams via an Athlete’s Unlimited style draft, held after a short practice on December 9th. Adding the draft to our event makes the Classic unique, and we hope exciting for both the players and the coaches.
Joining us December 9th and 10th will be…
Meghan Lucas-Butler High School
Meghan has been coaching volleyball for over 27 years. She is a graduate of Kiski Area HS and received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Elementary Education and Curriculum and Instruction from Clarion University, where she was also a four year starter on the women's volleyball team. Meghan was immediately hired at her Alma Mater as a teacher and head volleyball coach in 1995. After their move to Butler, she and her husband, Dr. Craig Lucas, began a family, but Meghan continued to coach even though taking a break from teaching to stay home with their children. In 2001, she started coaching for the Butler Middle School boys, eventually taking over the reigns as the Girls' Varsity Coach. Meghan has been involved with club volleyball since her playing days. Golden Triangle, TVC, P3R, Renaissance, and most recently, Revolution Volleyball Club have been the clubs she's coached at, taking teams to Nationals all over the country multiple years and at various age divisions. In 2013 she was inducted into the Kiski Area Sports Hall of Fame. She received coach of the year for section 1 in 2016. In 2017, she led her team to the playoffs for the first time in ten years, competing in the always tough AAAA section 1. She also led her team to the playoffs this past season, losing to Penn Trafford in the first round. She is currently a fourth grade teacher at Broad St. Elementary School, heavily involved in several community service organizations, and clinician for many camps and clinics. She most enjoys watching her own children compete. Isaiah (23), Maria (22) senior vb player at Slippery Rock University, Gabrielle (21), junior vb player at Grove City College, Sophia (19), sophomore vb player at Clarion University, and Sarah (16), sophomore vb player, jav thrower, and cello extraordinaire at Butler High School. She and her husband, Craig, reside in Butler, PA.
Best Advice over all the years of coaching .....
I'm not sure of an exact quote from a specific coach that sticks with me, but I have had so many mentors over the years that have helped to shape me into the coach I am today. I appreciate people like Greg Foreman, Sheron Watson, Rick Schall, Ellen Toy, Jodi Burns, Laurie Lokash, Bob, Heidi, Brian Miller, Rick Watkins and Mike Hogan. They each had nuggets of good that I take with me on my own coaching journey of close to 30 years.
I've had a motto for many years that I live by. "Work hard and good things will happen." I live this, I teach this, and I hope this for all of my students and players. It hangs in my classroom above every classroom I've taught in. The good may not always come when we want it to, it may take a day, a week, a year, or many many years... but I am certain that it will always happen.
My connection with We Serve First came directly with my relationships with the Vick and Toy families. Jaime and Jodie were both former players of mine when I coached at Kiski. Tim and Ellen's son, Mason, was a 4th grade student of mine and Dorothy Toncini's at Vandergrift Elementary. I've known Tim at Tees and Tops since my coaching days at Kiski... and I've always known Ellen to be not only one of the best coaches, but human beings as well. Her grace, determination, and humbleness are the things I remember most of her. I'm so proud of Tim and the growth of the Foundation, and I've helped to find recipients of We Serve First scholarships throughout my club coaching days.
Rachel Carter-Franklin Regional High School
Current position- Head Coach at Franklin Regional
Years there- 2 years (2021 and 2022 season)
Playoff appearances- 2 playoff appearances (2021 and 2022)
Titles won(section champs, WPIAL champs, State Champs)- 2021 Section Champs
Best coaching advice received or quote about coaching: I have been coaching for about 5 years now and I’ve learned a lot from all of my teams and experiences. The biggest lesson that I have learned so far is to be myself. I have had so many coaches who have coached me that have shared their stories, built relationships with me and related to me in so many ways. I strive to do that with my teams and build that trusting coach/player relationship. I was once a player in their shoes and can easily relate.
Connection to the foundation and/or Ellen:
I went to Kiski area high school and Ellen was my volleyball coach in highschool. Ellen introduced me to club volleyball (Westmoreland Elite) and was the first person that believed in me and told me that I could play volleyball in college. I got recruited to play volleyball at Penn State Behrend and ranked first in kills my junior and senior year as a right side hitter. I truly have her to thank for my success as a volleyball player and coach. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t think of her or think about what she would say or do in a coaching situation. She truly was such an inspirational, loving, and caring coach. The We Serve First Foundation is near and dear to me given my relationship with Ellen, Tim and the Toy family. It is such an incredible foundation that gives back to players in our community and I love seeing it continue to grow!
Tom Phillips-Freeport High School
Tom has coached at Freeport Area Middle and High School for 22 years. His high school teams have accumulated 18 straight section titles, 7 WPIAL championships(edited from 6, congrats Freeport on adding another just last night!), 4 WPIAL runner up honors and 1 State Championship in 2017.
Tom's favorite quote reads: Success isn't just about what you accomplish in your life, it's about what you INSPIRE others to do.
Ironically, this very quote is most applicable when the name, Ellen Toy is spoken or thought of. Tom had the pleasure of coaching against Ellen when she was coaching at Leechburg. He is grateful for getting to know her and witnessing the true inspiration that Ellen was. She lives on in the many lives that she touched.
Tom is so honored to be a part of the celebration of such a wonderful sport and the inaugural WE SERVE FIRST ALL-STAR CLASSIC. Thank you!!
Eve Hebrank-Leechburg High School
Eve has been at the helm of the Leechburg Blue Devils varsity volleyball program since fall 2016. Not only is she the varsity head coach, but she also serves as the junior high volleyball head coach, a role that she’s held since spring 2014. In her seven seasons as head coach, the Blue Devils have made six consecutive playoff appearances in Class A.
The Blue Devils sparked a fire in 2020 after winning their first round playoff game vs West Greene, ending a drought of early playoff exits. In 2021, the Blue Devils had their best season to date including a section championship (the first ever for the program), and a playoff run all the way to the semi-finals as the 4th seed in Class A—all record breaking runs for the program’s 30 year history.
Eve’s dedication and love for volleyball started with Ellen Toy. She had the pleasure of playing for Toy from spring 2003 to fall 2007 and was a student of Toy’s at Leechburg. Toy was also there at the start of Eve’s reentry into Blue Devils volleyball as a junior high coach, giving the simple advice of “enjoy this level and just pass, pass, pass.” Each spring, Eve assists with Leechburg student council’s “Kings of the Court” event in which all proceeds go to the We Serve First Foundation.
Favorite quote: “No volleyball play can begin without a serve, and the serve is the only technique that is totally under your control. In other endeavors, you cannot succeed without believing in yourself, and that belief is completely under your control.” - Karch Kiraly
We are really excited to watch these four outstanding coaches test their skills at evaluating, coordinating, and selecting from the 36 athletes that will be available to them at the We Serve First All-Star Classic. Next up, we will reveal those athletes. Stay tuned. Much more to come!