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Greg Herceg '09 Named Head Volleyball Coach; Layden to Stay on as an Assistant

By Joe Ginley '12 , 09/20/19, 12:00PM EDT

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Herceg starred for the Volleyball Cats for four seasons before playing Division I volleyball at Ball State.

A prominent former member of the Saint Ignatius volleyball team is returning to lead the program.

Greg Herceg '09 will take the reins as head coach, as Jacob Layden steps away from the position to start a family. Layden will remain on board as an assistant on the varsity team. 

Ten years after graduating from Saint Ignatius High School as a decorated two-sport athlete and an excellent student, Herceg will lead the Volleyball Cats as the third head coach in program history. He brings a wealth of playing experience and knowledge of the sport to the position. 

"The volleyball program has grown tremendously over the years, first through the leadership of Casey Marcelo and then with the leadership of Jacob Layden, who's done a remarkable job over the last few years," said Athletic Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88. "To see volleyball grow over the years has been great. And now, to get one of the guys who was there when we first started making the turn into a very good volleyball team to help run the program is a blessing. Greg knows where we were, he sees where we are now, and I think that'll help him build a vision of where we can go."

During his time at Saint Ignatius, Herceg starred for the volleyball team. A 4-year member of the varsity squad, Herceg helped to carry the volleyball program into a contender. 

Herceg's squad began the now 12-year streak of reaching the OHSBVA (Ohio High School Boys Volleyball Association) State Tournament. A 6'4" OPP (opposite hitter) on the right side, Herceg stood as a formidable foe for opponents. Herceg excelled as a player and a leader, garnering First-Team All-State honors. 

Herceg grew up in a volleyball family, as his dad, Mike '76, is a certified volleyball official. Greg's mom, Laurie, also works in the Advancement Department at Saint Ignatius. 

During the fall of his senior year, Herceg also played soccer. The Lakewood native served as the backup goalkeeper to Joe Kalt on the 2008 state championship team. 

"It's tough to be a backup, but he showed up every day and worked hard," said Head Soccer Coach Mike McLaughlin '85. "He was a great teammate and was very coachable. He made everybody better. Every team needs guys who are committed to showing up every day and working hard. He understands that and his players will understand that."

"Greg being a two-sport athlete gives him a great insight into how he can get the most out of his players," Fitzpatrick said. "You can play two sports here and be very successful. He'll be a great leader for our guys."

Following four great years at Wildcat High, Herceg continued his academic and athletic careers at Ball State University. 

An immediate contributor for the Cardinals, Herceg played four years at the Division I level. He's one of a handful of Wildcats to play at the highest collegiate level. And not only did he play, he excelled. 

Playing OPP/right-side attacker, Herceg merited First-Team All-American status. Herceg also earned a reputation as a hard-worker in the classroom. During all four years, Herceg earned Academic All-MIVA (Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) honors for his excellence in the classroom. 

In the summers, he helped the Cardinals run volleyball camps and assisted with Matchpoint camps. 

In 2013, Herceg graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Ball State. He then went back to school to earn his Master's degree. Herceg earned his master's in Sports Performance.

Last spring, he moved back home to Cleveland. He now works as a personal trainer at Life Time Fitness in Beachwood. He couldn't be more thrilled to be back at home at Wildcat High.

"It's going to be exciting," Herceg said. "Saint Ignatius is an important place to me. It's the place where I started playing volleyball and found out that I excelled at it. The volleyball team always meant a lot to me. The idea of coaching the kids and giving back really appealed to me." 

As a personal trainer, Herceg has experience in training, weightlifting, and conditioning. His professional work has molded his teaching style, and will shape his approach to culture-building.

"My coaching style changes based on who I'm coaching. Some want a drill sergeant. Some people just want people to talk to, or positive reinforcement," Herceg said. "My training or coaching style depends on the personality of person I'm working with. Whatever team needs me to be, I'll be.

"A big thing I plan on bringing is a hard-working culture, particularly in the weight room. Working in the weight room helped me as a player in high school. I'll be reinforcing the idea that the weight room isn't just for football. It's great for injury prevention, jumping higher, and other skills. It will be a part of normal practice."

Fitzpatrick is thrilled to have a former star member of the program back and at the helm. 

"I talk to a lot of senior athletes, and I put a bug in their ear, 'I think you'd make a good coach one day.' Maybe that paid off, who knows. But I think it's great that Greg is coming back," said Fitzpatrick, who started as AD in 2008. "It's not easy being a high school coach. It demands a lot of time and energy from you. The fact that it fits into what he's doing, it's a great blessing for Saint Ignatius and the volleyball program."

McLaughlin is also excited to have his former player back at Saint Ignatius. 

"This is a wonderful hire for Saint Ignatius. First of all, when we're hiring a head coach, we're hiring a person first and foremost who understands the school, its mission, and the sport. Greg gets it all," McLaughlin said. "It's a wonderful homecoming for us and the volleyball program. I'm looking forward to having Greg around as part of our club of head coaches."

Herceg will also have the benefit of a strong coaching staff. Anne Kent will continue to coach the JV squad and assist at the varsity level. Her expertise will be invaluable. Kent has been around the program for a long time. Matt Adler '05 and John Gerwitz will be staying aboard, too. Layden will be around, serving as an assistant coach as his time allows. 

"He's got great assistant coaches who will stay to help him out. It bodes well for the future," Fitzpatrick said. "We are coming off of two excellent head coaches, but I know enough about the high school world to know that it doesn't last forever. We've been blessed with some coaches on staff here that have been around for a long time, but that's not always the case. With Casey and Jacob, we couldn't have asked for better coaches. Now that they have moved on, I'm really excited for Greg to put his own stamp on the program and see what he can do."

The Wildcats figure to be a strong team in 2019. The team has lost some big impact players such as Phil Catanzaro to graduation, but young stars such as Andrew Boeckman and Vince Holzheimer remain.

Herceg saw the team play against Hilliard Darby and at the state tournament, so he knows the strength of the program. 

"We have a lot of young talent," Herceg said. "With all of the work that Anne does, the program can be strong for a long time. Knowing Saint Ignatius students and their work ethic, we are going to have a strong team for a long time."