Volleyball coaches united by Olympic memories

There are moments that stay in one’s memory and one’s heart forever. Ones that bring goosebumps and tears, so defining that the years never diminish, only enhance.

Tom Hogan has one that, to this day, still gives him chickenskin. And it’s why the Denver volleyball coach knows his counterpart across the net in today’s Heineken Invitational finale will be as successful as Hawaii’s coach as she was on the international stage.

Hogan was an assistant coach during Robyn Ah Mow’s final six years with the U.S. national team, including the 2008 Olympics, where Ah Mow set the U.S. to a silver medal in Beijing, her third and last Games.

Hogan remembers being in Macau for a Grand Prix match and Ah Mow was not on the court during warm-ups. His team captain was in a corner, holding the large U.S. flag that was to hang during the competition but had been left on the floor while the events crew practiced raising the flags.

“Robyn has such immense pride in representing our country, she knew the American flag should not be on the ground, especially on foreign soil,” Hogan said. “She refused to leave the flag. Therese Crawford (former Hawaii hitter and then U.S. teammate) joins her and they’re holding the flag, and then the entire team is holding the flag.

“Robyn talks to (U.S. coach Lang Ping, a Chinese national) and (Lang Ping) tells the events crew in Chinese they needed to get the flag off the ground or there’s no practice.

“It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.”

That was the culture that Ah Mow brought daily to the gym, one of respect, not just for the American flag but for the sport of volleyball. It’s the culture that Ah Mow, in her third year heading her alma mater, is developing.

Hogan, in his eighth year at DU, fourth as head coach, has seen it this week during the Pioneers’ first trip to Honolulu. And he isn’t surprised.

“She’s one of the top coaches in the NCAA,” said Hogan, who had Ah Mow on his U.S. junior national team staff for the 2014 U20 Continental Championship. “She learned work ethic and respect from her parents (the late Lovina and Talmage Ah Mow). Those are the two things I’ve seen with her team. There’s a ‘team first’ mentality.

“She’s like a sister to me and it’s really cool to see her take over her program and implement the culture. I told her when she first took over, ‘It’s going to take time to build what you want, it doesn’t happen overnight.’ She said, ‘It’s getting there.’ ”

Hogan, the two-time reigning Summit League coach of the year, is doing the same at the Mile High City school. The Pioneers have won the past five league titles, winning at least 23 matches each season, including last year’s 27-3 campaign, when they also went 15-0 in the Summit.

“He’s a great coach, loves what he does,” Ah Mow said of Hogan. “What I like about him was he was always wanting to learn.

“I think it’s going to be a great match. We can’t take Denver lightly. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The fun started Saturday when the Wahine hosted the Pioneers for a barbecue at College Hill. On the menu was a whole kalua pig and chili from Zippy’s, the latter somewhat of a joke between the coaches.

Ah Mow, who has a passion for cooking, began being in charge of barbecues when at the Olympic Training Center. She was able to find the well-known chili near the OTC, but it was frozen. She also introduced char siu chicken and teriyaki short ribs to the menu.

Hogan makes no secret of being in awe of Ah Mow, of how “this 5-7, 5-8 on a good day firecracker has a very intimidating personality but in a positive way,” he said.

“People around the world respect her. The Brazilian coach (legendary Jose Roberto Lages) says she’s the greatest player who ever played. Cuba’s coach Luis (Felipe Calderon) says she is the best setter to ever play the game.

“That work ethic and respect for the game is the culture she expects in her gym. You’re seeing it in the gym. I’m not surprised what she’s building here.”

Sacramento State 3, Army 2

The Hornets pulled off the reverse sweep on Saturday to claim third place over the Black Knights, 28-30, 10-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-13.

Sarah Davis led Sac State (3-4) with 16 kills and libero Paige Swinney had 25 digs in a match that saw the teams combine for 197 digs. Army (3-3) finished with 108 digs, 37 by libero Ana Oglivie (‘Iolani), and got 17 kills from Courtney Horace.