Kopkowski decided to be a coach after one practice

Jason Kopkowski had no idea he wanted to coach high school sports until he got a phone call from former Wheeling boys volleyball coach Denise Van Huele.

"She offered me a job five years ago as a freshman boys volleyball coach," he said.

Kopkowski figured he'd give it a try.

"I'll tell you what," he added. "As soon as I was finished with that first practice, I knew I wanted to be a varsity head coach some day."

That day came earlier this week when Kopkowski was named to succeed Rita Runyard as the Wheeling girls varsity volleyball coach.

Runyard had also been an underlevel boys volleyball coach so she got to know Kopkowski.

In the fall of 2005, after giving birth to her second child, Runyard asked Kopkowski to be her "co-coach."

Kopkowski has served as the junior varsity girls volleyball coach the past two seasons.

He is a 1999 graduate of Rolling Meadows, where he was a two-year starter at off-guard for varsity boys basketball coach Dave Brown (co-captain his senior year).

He was a three-year starting outside hitter for varsity boys volleyball coach Mike Duellman.

"The most I learned about the sport of volleyball is from Mike Duellman," Kopkowski said. "He taught me that speed is of the essence. This game is played too quickly to not be ready at any moment."

This is Kopkowski's first year teaching at Wheeling (physical education, health and driver's education).

He has spent the last four years as a physical educational and health teacher at Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights.

Kopkowski graduated from Northern Illinois in 2003 and received his master's degree in school administration from Aurora University.

"The girls need to be ready to play and bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm onto the floor," he said. "Because sometimes those things can carry a team when its execution is not clicking on all cylinders."

Runyard's Wildcats have executed quite well in recent years. They won 20 matches in three of last four years.

Runyard finished with 155 career wins in her 10 seasons and won 131 matches in the last six years. She is leaving the post because of time constraints.

"I would still like a role in the program," she said. "But I just can't take all the responsibilities of being the head coach with teaching, taking classes for my master's degree, taking care of two young children (2- and 4-year-old boys) and traveling."

The travel is a result of Runyard being named the 2007 Midwest Teacher of the Year. She is a representative of six states.

"It requires that I travel throughout the year," she said. "This summer I have to go to West Virginia in June and Texas in July."

Runyard, a physical education teacher, said the accumulation of everything makes it difficult to continue running a varsity program.

"I'm going to miss it," she said. "I just don't feel I could give the girls as much in the role of a head coach as they deserve. But if I step down into a lesser role and not have all the responsibilities of the head coach, that would be nice."