LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ron Kordes has long been a local legend in volleyball. Last week, the Assumption coach became just the 11th Kentuckian to be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.
He said his introduction into volleyball was right place, right time. He played freshman basketball at U of L, picked up recreational volleyball after school and then filled is as a grade-school coach.
"All of a sudden the volleyball coach got transferred out of town and they said 'can anybody do this,'" said Kordes. "So I said 'yea, I've been playing, I'll try it' and I guess it bit me. And my hobby changed into a profession so to speak with starting a club and this will be my 34th year at Assumption."
Those years have included a 90% winning percentage, 22 state titles and six national titles. But Kordes remembers the early days of club ball in town when Louisville was not very competitive.
"We'd drive to Chicago," said Kordes. "I'd call them '0-for' weekends. We were 0 for however many matches we played. And (now) we play every year in a tournament in Chicago. I still see some of those people from years ago. They're still hanging around. And it's kind of fun to know that you climbed into that bracket. We haven't been '0-for' in a long time."
Between his KIVA Club and Assumption success, he is as responsible as anybody for the growth of the game in the Louisville-area.
"I am very proud of it and I feel like I've played a part in it for sure," Kordes said. "But those kind of things don't happen by themselves."
Kordes has accomplished plenty, considering he doesn't know how many halls of fame he's in.
After some checking, Kordes determined that last week's induction in the National High School Hall of Fame is No. 7 and with tryouts at Assumption coming up next week, the 74-year-old doesn't have an end date in mind.
"If you get yourself around younger people and I don't understand what they're saying half the time because there's another language there," said Kordes with a laugh. "But my point is, their energy, their outlook on things, they're excited, I think it kind of rubs off. I know it rubs off on me. So I don't have any plans to stop it, as long as my health allows me to do what I'm doing."
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