Dan Grunauer Coach G is the Girls' Varsity Head Coach and Boys' Assistant Varsity Coach at Shepard High School. During 2011, he led his team to a share of the conference championship and was named Conference Coach of the Year! Dan has coached club at the 14, 16, 17, and 18-Under level. Dan has played volleyball at Eastern Illinois University, Andrew High School, and Lewis Flyers & Synergy Volleyball clubs.
In his free time, Dan enjoys playing in recreational volleyball, basketball, and softball leagues. He is very passionate about volleyball and looks forward to creating a fun and encouraging atmosphere for young athletes to learn to become the best athletes they can be.
Ray VanSyckle Coach, Pursuit 17's
Coach VanSyckle brings an impressive volleyball resume and proven coaching expertise to our program. He has coached at the 16-18 age groups for 5 years. Additionally, he just finished his 5th season as the Assistant Varsity Coach at Richards High School for both the GIrls' and Boys' programs.
Ray attended Alan B. Shepard High School from 1998-2002. During his time at Shepard, Ray received All Conference during his Junior and Senior year and All-Area honors during his Senior year. Also, he played club ball at Premier Volleyball Club. During college, Ray played volleyball at Dominican University (River Forest, IL) where he earned a B.S. in Psychology. While at Dominican, he earned the an impressive list of accolades:
Ray's passion and appetite for competition are a great fit for the Pursuit program and our high school athletes. Dan Shupryt Coach, Pursuit 17's
Coach Shupryt has 11 years playing experience and 3 years of coaching under his belt. He has coached as a volunteer assistant for Purdue University's Women's Varsity Volleyball team, as a coach for the Lincoln-Way Central High School, and for club programs for 2 years.
Dan went to Marist High School from 2000-2004, where he was a setter. While at Marist, Dan was a 3-time Conference Champion, and 2-time Regional Champion. After high school, Dan took his talents to Purdue University where he was a setter from 2004-2009. His squad won the Big Ten Championship during the 2004-2005 season, while also earning recognition as a Top 10 Nationally Ranked team.
In his spare time, Dan still enjoys playing volleyball competitively. He began playing at the AA level for USA Volleyball in 2009.
Carrie Smith
Coach, Pursuit 14's
Coach Carrie has over 10 years of combined playing and coaching experience. She has been coaching club volleyball, primarily at the 13-16-under age group for the past 6 years. After graduating from Tinley Park HS (2001), she began her collegiate volleyball career at a local community college. She continued her collegiate experience at Robert Morris University (2005). After graduating with her BS in Business Management from RMU, she coached for the RMU Lady Eagles. Coach Carrie currently is an office manager for a consulting firm in downtown Chicago.
Carrie enjoys playing volleyball competitively, running, and spending time with her family. She is passionate
about volleyball and looks forward to inspiring her players to strive to become the best that they can be. Sara Leth
Coach, Pursuit 15's Coach Sara is a current student-athlete at Trinity Christian College. She was the head coach for the Pursuit 14's during 2009. When not playing volleyball, Sara is studying nursing. She enjoys going for bike rides in the summer, sleeping, and beach volleyball (of course). Sara is a great technical setter and brings a unique perspective to our program.
Mark Davis
Coach, Pursuit 16's
Coach Davis has played volleyball at Calvin College and Shepard High School. He is currently the student assistant volleyball coach at Trinity Christian College. Mark has shown his diversity on the court, making a name for himself as a setter, right-side, and outside hitter. In high school, Mark broke the set assist record with 474 in 2008 and was named South Suburban Conference Player of the Year in 2009.
When not coaching volleyball, Mark spends his time running, singing, and playing the piano and trumpet. Mark is passionate about coaching and strives to build skill, confidence, and character in the athletes he coaches.
Coach, Pursuit 15's
Coach Amanda played volleyball at Shepard High School and Chicago's Finest Volleyball Club. She earned All-Conference honors in 2007 and 2008, All-Area in 2008, and broke the school kill record in 2008 with 313 kills. She is also a student studying Elementary Education at St. Xavier Univerity.
Off the court, Amanda enjoys reading, playing softball, and spending time with her family. Dan Pfieffer Club Director Coach Pfief has more than 10 years experience playing and coaching for high school and club teams. He has coached at the 14-, 15-, and 17-Under levels. He brings a highly analytical approach to coaching the game. Off the volleyball court, Dan enjoys playing in recreational volleyball leagues, running along the lake, traveling, and cooking. Dan currently works as an IT Consultant in Chicago. He earned a BS from DePaul University and MBA from Loyola University's Graduate School of Business. Dan is very excited to have the opportunity to work with local athletes and build a strong club volleyball program on the South Side. |
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