Al Scates
Encyclopedia
Al Scates is an American former volleyball
player and is the current volleyball
coach of the UCLA Bruins of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
. Scates, in his 46th year as the coach of the Bruins, is the winningest volleyball coach in the history of the NCAA, and the 19 NCAA titles the Bruins have won during his tenure ties him for the most NCAA titles won by a coach in a single sport with Arkansas'
John McDonnell
(Indoor Track and Field
). Scates has won some kind of collegiate volleyball championship in five different decades, and his NCAA championships are spread across four different decades.
, Scates began his tenure as the Bruins head coach in the 1963 season. That season, his team finished with a 26-3 record and placed second at the USVBA National Championship. Scates' Bruins won their first USVBA title in 1965, and followed it up with another win in 1967.
In 1970, the first year of the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
, the Bruins swept Long Beach State University to win their first NCAA Championship. They would win the next two years as well, and win six of the first seven NCAA Championships held. From 1981 to 1984, Scates' teams won four consecutive national championships, the longest such streak by any men's volleyball team. UCLA is the only team that has won more than two consecutive championships, holding streaks of at least 3 national championships 3 times.
In his career, Scates has coached such famous players as Sinjin Smith
, who won 139 Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments, UCLA Women's Volleyball coach Andy Banachowski (who is second only to Scates in NCAA wins), and Karch Kiraly
, twice named the best player in the world by the FIVB
.
In 2006, the Bruins and Scates ended a five-year drought with a win over Penn State University at Penn State's Rec Hall for Scates' 19th national championship. UCLA began the season 12-12, but closed with a 14-game winning streak. The 12 losses were the most ever for an NCAA Championship team, and the second most for the Bruins in a single season under Scates.
Scates is 1,135-212 all-time, for a winning percentage of .843. Three times a Scates team posted an unbeaten season: 1979, 1982, 1984.
Scates currently sits on the Board of Directors of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). He was featured in the January 2007 issue of Coaching Volleyball Magazine, the official magazine of the AVCA.
His son, David, is a Physical Education and Health and Guidance teacher at Herbert Hoover High School
in Glendale, CA. He has two daughters, Leslie and Tracy, and four grandchildren.
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player and is the current volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
coach of the UCLA Bruins of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is a college athletic conference whose member teams are located in the western United States. The conference participates at the NCAA Division I level.-History:...
. Scates, in his 46th year as the coach of the Bruins, is the winningest volleyball coach in the history of the NCAA, and the 19 NCAA titles the Bruins have won during his tenure ties him for the most NCAA titles won by a coach in a single sport with Arkansas'
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
John McDonnell
John McDonnell (coach)
John McDonnell is the retired head coach for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks track team. He began as the cross country track coach for the University in 1972 and became head track coach in 1978...
(Indoor Track and Field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
). Scates has won some kind of collegiate volleyball championship in five different decades, and his NCAA championships are spread across four different decades.
Coaching career
Himself an All-American Volleyball player at UCLAUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, Scates began his tenure as the Bruins head coach in the 1963 season. That season, his team finished with a 26-3 record and placed second at the USVBA National Championship. Scates' Bruins won their first USVBA title in 1965, and followed it up with another win in 1967.
In 1970, the first year of the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship is the tournament that determines the national championship of American college volleyball.The "Final Four" is a term used exclusively by NCAA Basketball but is commonly used to describe the Men's Volleyball Championship...
, the Bruins swept Long Beach State University to win their first NCAA Championship. They would win the next two years as well, and win six of the first seven NCAA Championships held. From 1981 to 1984, Scates' teams won four consecutive national championships, the longest such streak by any men's volleyball team. UCLA is the only team that has won more than two consecutive championships, holding streaks of at least 3 national championships 3 times.
In his career, Scates has coached such famous players as Sinjin Smith
Sinjin Smith
Christopher St. John Smith is a professional Beach Volleyball player. He won one U.S. championship and two World championships with Randy Stoklos....
, who won 139 Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments, UCLA Women's Volleyball coach Andy Banachowski (who is second only to Scates in NCAA wins), and Karch Kiraly
Karch Kiraly
Charles Frederick "Karch" Kiraly , is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport.-High school career:...
, twice named the best player in the world by the FIVB
Fédération Internationale de Volleyball
The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball , commonly known by the acronym FIVB, is the international governing body for the sport of indoor, beach and grass volleyball.. Its headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland and its current president is Wei Jizhong .- History :The FIVB was founded...
.
In 2006, the Bruins and Scates ended a five-year drought with a win over Penn State University at Penn State's Rec Hall for Scates' 19th national championship. UCLA began the season 12-12, but closed with a 14-game winning streak. The 12 losses were the most ever for an NCAA Championship team, and the second most for the Bruins in a single season under Scates.
Scates is 1,135-212 all-time, for a winning percentage of .843. Three times a Scates team posted an unbeaten season: 1979, 1982, 1984.
Scates currently sits on the Board of Directors of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). He was featured in the January 2007 issue of Coaching Volleyball Magazine, the official magazine of the AVCA.
His son, David, is a Physical Education and Health and Guidance teacher at Herbert Hoover High School
Herbert Hoover High School
There are at least six high schools named after Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States:*Herbert Hoover High School, in Des Moines, Iowa*Herbert Hoover High School, in Glendale, California*Herbert Hoover High School, in San Diego, California...
in Glendale, CA. He has two daughters, Leslie and Tracy, and four grandchildren.
Championships
UCLA has won the following Volleyball Championships under Scates.- USVBA (2): 1965, 1967
- NCAA (19): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006
Head coaching record
Awards and recognition
- In 2003, Scates was enshrined in the UCLA Hall of Fame.
- In 2004, Scates was enshrined in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame.
- Scates has been named Coach of the Year five times: 1984, 1987, 1993, 1996, 1998.