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09/30/2016 12:00 AMFor the first time in many years, the Huskies’ volleyball squad has a new face leading the way as its head coach this fall. Fortunately for Morgan, it’s someone who’s become familiar with the school as a teacher in the system and who knows all about the volleyball program after having competed against the Huskies. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Paige Trusty.
Paige grew up and still lives in Durham, where she was an All-State volleyball player for Coginchaug. After beginning her teaching tenure at Morgan as an Algebra 1 and geometry teacher two years ago, she was the JV coach for Coginchaug and then joined the Huskies as an assistant with former Head Coach Joe Grippo last fall.
Now this year, Paige is taking the next step as she’s the new head coach of Morgan volleyball and recently recorded the first four victories of her career while guiding the Huskies to a 4-3 mark.
“I actually got pretty lucky with the timing. When I got the Morgan coaching job, Joe was ready to move on and I felt ready to step up. I’m very familiar with the volleyball program here and I wanted to be a head coach for a long time,” Paige says. “Following Joe is a lot of pressure because he was a great coach. But I know I have both his and the school’s support. There is a great history here and I think the girls are working hard and want to keep the winning going.”
Morgan volleyball has a storied history and so of course Paige was to continue the prosperity and see her team succeed on the court. However, she’s also putting an emphasis on the girls unifying as a group, so they can leap any hurdles that stand in their way.
“I want them to show up and be ready to play and win, but it’s about a lot more than just the score. I want to teach them how to overcome obstacles as a team and figure out solutions together,” says Paige. “I also try to incorporate time management into practices.”
Morgan’s Athletic Director Kevin Rayel feels that Paige’s vast volleyball background will work in tandem with her approach to academics to set an ideal template of success for her athletes.
“We are incredibly blessed to have a coach of Paige Trusty’s caliber joining our athletics program. Like all the coaches at Morgan, Coach Trusty exemplifies the best elements of high school athletics. Her incredible athletic success is perhaps surpassed only by her dedication to academic excellence,” says Rayel. “Her own experience as a successful student-athlete will undoubtedly set a great example for our own students about how to succeed not only on the court, but in the classroom, as well.”
Coaching is an extension of teaching and so it only makes sense that Paige is now doing both at Morgan. She says her passion for coaching is fueled by seeing her athletes play with cohesiveness on the court.
“I love the sport of volleyball. It’s an exciting game to watch. To see the girls on the court working together is great,” says Paige. “I love both coaching and teaching because I get to know them in a different light as athletes.”
The 2016 campaign is one of great change for the Morgan volleyball squad, even for the team’s returning veterans. Right now, Paige is solely concerned with seeing incremental progress as the regular season unfolds, so that the Huskies will be primed to go on a deep postseason run.
“It’s been a lot of transition and the girls getting used to a different style of play. We came together in our season opener [a five-set loss to Notre Dame-Fairfield on Sept. 9] and played well,” says Paige. “I just want to see improvement throughout the year and then we can hopefully take the Shoreline Conference title back.”