Volk Takes Over As Softball Coach
13 Mar 2008

Todd Volk has coaching and softball in his blood.
Volk, who has been coaching basketball at Manchester Junior-Senior High School for the past nine years, four years with the eighth grade girls, and five years with the high school JV team, and coaching volleyball at the junior-senior high for five years, and the past two years at Whitko, is now taking his coaching outdoors to the softball field.
Volk takes over the position from Jim Troyer, who resigned late last year.
He is excited for the opportunity to coach a sport he grew up playing, and a sport that runs deep in his family.
“Growing up in Michigan, we played two sports, baseball and fast pitch softball,” Volk said. “It’s something that’s been in my family. My grandfather played, my uncles, my aunt, my sisters, my dad. I grew up on that. It’s a sport that I am probably most comfortable. It’s been real natural for me.”
Volk is looking forward to running a program, and is thankful for the preparation he got from coaching with MHS girls’ varsity basketball coach Mark Underwood.
“I owe it all to my brother from another mother,” he said of Underwood. “I have learned so much from him…not just x’s and o’s, but how to run a program. I thank him a thousand times over. It was hard for him to recommend me, because he probably knew that meant he was going to lose me as a JV coach. I am forever grateful for that. I have learned how to run a class program, where family, grades, and stuff like that are really what it’s all about.”
Volk is not only familiar with the sport of softball, but with his team members as well.
“I have coached almost every girl on the team in either basketball, volleyball, or softball at the complex,” he said. “
Coaching full time and running a program is no easy job, and Volk is thankful to his family, namely his wife, Karen, for the support he gets.
“Karen is, of course, number one,” Volk said. “She has been very positive with everything. It does take up a lot of time. If I thought there was time to do basketball, she would give me her blessing. But, that will be time we can spend together.
“I have asked my family in the past if they wanted me to give this stuff up, and they said no, which is very unselfish,” he continued. “They know how much I enjoyed it, and they have encouraged me.”
Volk has two daughters, Amber, 23, Elysia, 17, one son, Brandon, 21, and two step-sons, Todd, 23, and Jason 21.
Softball practice began this past Monday.