Our Leadership
Linda Snyder — Co-Founder & Owner
I take tremendous pride in the exceptional leadership team we have
assembled that is helping me nuture, build, and grow Energy VBC® from the
vision I shared with Joshua Pak for a more holistic approach to club
volleyball to what is now a top ranking volleyball club program with the
largest dedicated USAV-sanctioned facility in the Northern Chicago
Metropolitan Area. While I have led Energy VBC’s rapid growth in size (30+
experienced coaches and 400+ student-athletes last season, plus a 62,000 sq.
ft. facility) and stature, I continue to adhere to that original vision as
we enter our seventh season. I will never allow our growth or
ever-more-ambitious competitive goals to compromise our mission to develop
the whole player, for each and every player regardless of level or ability.
As a result, I am constantly looking to improve every aspect of Energy VBC’s
capabilities and the Energy VBC experience. We have established a first
rate team of coaches for this season and look forward to seeing what they
can accomplish with the Energy players.
I began my interest in Volleyball back in 1977 when my High School Mother
McAuley took it’s first of many State Championships. I feel it is a great
sport for all and one you can continue to play through out your life.
I have 2 daughters who played over 11 years with various clubs on the
North Shore, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. After sitting in
the stands as a parent I decided to start a club, so I co-founded the Edge
Volleyball Club and got that up and running for it’s first season. Since we did
not share the same vision/philosophy, one year later I started Energy
VBC with my good friend and “parent in the stands buddy” Josh Pak. After years of
sitting next to each other at many volleyball competitions we both saw the
need for a new club. Together I feel we have built that club in Energy VBC,
where it is good for the player, the parent, the coach and the game of
volleyball.
Energy has always had strong, successful teams from our first season, placing
in the top 3rd at Colorado Crossroads regional qualifier, to our most
recent season with with over 35 tournament wins, 100+ top 3 finishes,
and a strong showing on the National front, including 2 players named to
the All-American Team at AAU Nationals in Orlando. Energy VBC is now the
top ranking volleyball club in our area.
I am committed to seeing Energy VBC continue this passion and path of victorious seasons.
I could not be more proud of our players. My goal is to see each one
achieve their dream, whatever it may be and let Energy give them the tools
to get there. We have players who have gone on to play College ball and many
players who are currently being recruited. We have put together the top
coaches and the top facility on the North Shore and we will constantly be
looking to ways to improve.
My true enjoyment comes when I hear our players
say that they cannot wait to get back to the club season and in the
facility. It tells me we have done something right and we will continue to
keep building towards a program that continues to get better with age.
Email: linda@energyvbc.com
Office Phone: (847) 965-8028 (Primary phone contact)
Cell Phone: (847) 910-0659 (Please call cell phone only for true emergencies)
Michael Sopocy — Owner
I have been an avid volleyball player since my 7th grade, and a
dedicated volleyball coach since my Freshman year in college. I have 14
years’ playing experience so far, and I continue to play competitive
indoor and beach volleyball. During my high school years, I played for
Glenbrook South High School, Sports Performance VBC, and TNT VBC. I went
on to play four years on the Bowling Green State University Club Team,
where we ranked Nationally in the top 25 and participated in NIRSA
Volleyball nationals all four years. While I have played every position,
my primary positions are setter (12 years) and right side (6 years).
I have been coaching volleyball for over 8 years now; including
coaching of the women’s Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Club team
(nationals three straight years finishing 25th, 45th, and 5th in the
nation), volunteer assistant for BGSU varsity team, and coach of the
men’s BGSU club team (leading them to nationals two straight years,
finishing 7th in the nation both years). Since 2009, I have been on the
Glenbrook South High School Coaching Staff as the Boys’ Freshman A
Coach, where I have led the team to a conference championship, and this past
year I was an assistant coach for the GBS Varsity Boys. I also regularly
participates in camps, clinics, school programs and events throughout
the Suburban and Chicago Public School Systems, looking to enrich the
sport of volleyball in the Chicagoland area. I’m a certified IHSA
official and I’m working on acheiving certification as a USAV official.
In addition to my experience as a volleyball player and coach, I also
bring to Energy a variety of leadership and management experience from
other endeavors. I served as Team Lead for a joint fishery science
research project by Bowling Green State University and Kinetrics. I also
was led a team conducting fish studies and captained a research vessel
for EA Engineering. I love to fish almost as much as I love volleyball.
I have competed in 75 Bass Fishing Tournaments (13 professionally),
winning 23. I also have run my own series of fishing tournaments on the
Fox Chain O’ Lakes. I’ve been privileged to have my bass fishing
accomplishments recognized in all major outdoors magazines and TV’s
Midwest Outdoors program.
I am excited to be a member of the Energy
VBC Leadership team! As Director, Girls’ Program, I am responsible
for implementing and overseeing the Energy Girls’ Volleyball Program. I also am a
recruiting professional and lead Energy VBC’s college recruiting
services, liaising with volleyball program recruiters for Division I,
II, and III colleges and universities and showcasing Energy VBC athletes
to those recruiters. In this capacity, I create showcase videos for
Energy VBC student-athletes who request to be marketed via our college
recruiting services. In addition to my responsibilities as a member of
the Energy VBC leadership team, I
coach multiple Girls’ Energy VBC teams
and teach private lessons and clinics for all levels. I also help out
Linda and Josh with Energy VBC operations as needed.
Like Linda and
Josh, I have a vested interest in both the immediate and long term
success of Energy VBC, and I will continue to put maximum effort into
ensuring Energy continues our success at the local, regional, and
national levels.
Email: sopocy@energyvbc.com
Cell Phone: (847) 951-1601
Margaret Kehoe
I bring 30 years of volleyball coaching experience and
accomplishment, along with 31 years’ experience as a physical education
instructor (11 high school, 20 middle school) plus 5 years’ experience
as an athletic administrator to my role as Director, Boys’ Program
at Energy VBC. I will be applying all of my experience
to
my responsibilities continuing to build an exceptional boys’ club volleyball program
at Energy VBC; focusing on developing the program, the coaches, and, of
course, the individual athletes.
I was introduced to volleyball during 6th grade. My first coach was
Bertha Lucas, whose name is synonymous with Chicago Volleyball. Since
that first experience, volleyball has always been a part of my life,
providing for me many opportunities, friendships and positive
experiences. I continued playing volleyball for over 25 years at a
variety of levels, including AAU, Chicago Park District, Chicago Women’s
Volleyball Association, USVBA club teams (A & AA), and intercollegiate
teams at Augustana College and University of Illinois.
I have a B.S. degree in Physical Education from University of
Illinois and a M.S. degree in Physical Education, with an emphasis in
athletic administration, from The Ohio State University. I began my
career as a Physical Education Instructor at Barrington High School,
where I also served as Girls’ Sports Coordinator from 1976–77. I
started Barrington High School’s Girls’ Volleyball program in 1969. From
the start of IHSA State competition for girls’ volleyball in 1974,
through 1986, my record as Girls’ Volleyball Varsity Coach included 257
wins to 161 losses, 7 Conference Titles, 10 IHSA Regional titles, 8 IHSA
Sectional titles, 4 IHSA Super-Sectional titles, and 4 IHSA
quarter-final appearances — taking 2nd Place at the 1976 IHSA State
Finals and taking 3rd place at the 1977 IHSA State Finals. In 2002, I
was honored when these accomplishments were recognized by my induction
into Barrington High School’s “Coaches Hall of Fame.”
While taking a respite from teaching to raise my family, and after
resuming my teaching career at the middle school level, I continued
coaching volleyball, coaching Barrington High School’s Girls’ Jr.
Varisty from 1989–90, Barrigton Middle School’s 8th Grade Girls in 1991,
Maine South High Schools Girls’ Varsity from 1998-2000, Maine South High
School’s Boys’ Freshmen "A" from 1999–2006, and Maine South Girls’
Freshman “A” in 2001. I also was an Instructor at the Barrington Park
District and Maine South Boys’ and Girls’ Summer Volleyball Camps. Most
recently, I have
been the Boys’ Middle School Volleyball Coach at Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lab School from 2001–3 and again from 2008–11. I also have been the
Girls’ Middle School Volleyball Coach at Martin Luther King, Jr. Lab
School from 2001–3 and again from 2007–10.
I
returned to teaching in 1991 as a Physical Education Instructor for Evanston/Skokie School
District 65. Beginning in 2007, I have also been serving as
the Athletic Administrator for Martin Luther King, Jr. Lab School in
Evanston, IL. After 31 years of teaching, I will be retiring from
teaching in June, 2011.
In addition to my volleyball coaching experience, I have taught volleyball throughout my career
as a Physical Education Instructor. I also served for two years as a
member of the IHSA Volleyball Advisory Committee and for two years as an
IHSA Volleyball Official. In addition to my professional experience, I
also have ample experience as a volleyball parent. My two daughters both
played volleyball in high school and competed on club teams.
I am very excited to begin the next phase of my career by joining the
Energy VBC Leadership Team as Director of the Boys’ Program. Having had
the opportunity to experience the game of volleyball as a player,
teacher, coach, administrator, advisor, official, and parent, I expect
to be a strong “team member” as Energy VBC moves forward. My goal is to
use these experiences and my passion for the game to expand our Boys’
Program and to provide our young athletes with the opportunity to reach
their potential as individual players and as team members.
Email:
kehoe@energyvbc.com
Cell Phone: (312) 969-7099
Allen Adams
Growing up, I always enjoyed sports, whether it be playing or just
watching. I developed a passion for basketball at a young age and played
for my school team, travel teams, and also attended several camps. When
my older brother hit high school, he began getting me involved in
volleyball. He had been playing club volleyball for a few years prior to
when I began my involvement. The competitive nature, along with the
speed of the game and aggression involved is what drew me to the sport.
I gave up basketball and began focussing solely on volleyball. I
eventually received several college scholarships, but was cut short by a
seven month long injury. This is when I began coaching. I started
coaching my senior year of high school and instantly developed a passion
for it. The joy of seeing your knowledge passed down to a younger
generation felt extremely rewarding.
I began working with Linda and Josh in Energy VBC’s inaugural
year and have been with them ever since. Through the years I have helped
transfer my knowledge of the AAU basketball programs, along with what I
learned through involvement in other club programs, over to Energy VBC
while also learning the business aspect of the game. For me, this is
going to be a lifelong involvement; and as long as there are kids that
want to learn the sport, I will be teaching not only the sport, but life
lessons that come with the developing athlete.
I am both the Head Boys’ Coach and a
Coach for Energy VBC. In
addition to my responsibilities at Energy VBC, I am pursuing a degree in
Business from Northeastern Illinois University.
Email: aadams@energyvbc.com
Cell Phone: (847) 899-1687
Joshua Pak — Co-Founder & Owner
I have been around sports my entire life, playing competitively
through my high school years. I played three varsity
sports soccer, basketball, and baseball. I was
All-Conference my Junior and Senior years and All-Sectional my Senior
year in soccer. I may still hold the school record for most shutouts by
a goalie in one season, nine.
I was recruited by several Division II and quite a few Division III
schools to play soccer, but decided that I wanted to focus on education
and stopped playing upon entering college. However, I continue to play
competitive baseball in the Midwest Suburban League.
My dream was to someday own my own sports facility and teach kids all
the valuable life skills a competitive sport teaches. There is nothing I enjoy
more than watching our teams improve, compete and win however, the most rewarding experience in my opinion is watching players develop as they progress through the season as a result of their hard work.
My interest in volleyball started with watching my twin daughters
compete in grade school. Like many other sport, I saw how volleyball is more than just a sport. It’s a reflection of how an individual needs to grow in their own progression through life. It teaches discipline, accountability, teamwork and many important skills needed to be successful responsible adults. I also realized that club teams were not teaching these important skills, but just babysitting the players through an activity.
As I grew frustrated about this fact, Linda Snyder and I would sit in the
stands brainstorming on what we could hopefully accomplish towards this
goal. We continue to never be satisfied and are constantly making
changes to achieve the perfect program. I think this is why Energy has
been so successful. We learn from our past and grow with our future. The
key is a willingness to learn.
I currently work for SAP, a software company, and I naturally enjoy working with technology.
I bring some of the analytical approach from my profession to the Energy
Leadership Team. This is a good complement to Linda’s more nurturing
and organizational approach. I believe Linda and I balance each other well. I look forward
to a very long future for Energy Volleyball as a Premier Club and
training center for all Volleyball athletes.
Email: joshpak@energyvbc.com
Cell Phone: (847) 393-5558
Emily Fitzgerald
I am very excited about joining the Energy Leadership Team.
I have always enjoyed
volleyball and the sports industry. The constant growth and expansion of
Energy VBC keeps me on my toes striving to always have Energy in
excellent shape. Being the
Facility Manager at Energy VBC allows me to combine and utilize my love
of fashion (Spike’s Pro
Shop), food (Energy Concessions), and organization (court
management and rental). I plan on carrying the latest trends in
Spike’s Pro Shop and
assuring that Energy Concessions serves food
that tastes good and is good for you. I am looking forward to a long-lasting and fun-filled
relationship with Energy VBC!
Contact me with any questions about Energy!
Email:
emilyfitz@energyvbc.com
Phone: (847) 965-8028
Shane Green
Shane Green has had many years of volleyball experience both as a
coach and a player. He started playing at Maine West High School
where he played all 4 years in high school. In high school he
played outside hitter, opposite hitter, and setter. Shane
also played Adversity 18u south side for one year where he was
the captain and outside hitter. In college he went on to play
for the Western Illinois University Club volleyball team. After
his freshman year he took over as the Coach and President of his
team, while continuing to play. His freshman year he played as
an outside hitter. The remaining years the main position he
played was libero, but he also set for his nationals tournament
senior year.
Shane currently is Physical Education and Athletic Coordinator at Hitch Middle School.
He also coaches the 7th and 8th grade boys’ and girls’ volleyball, boys’ basketball, and
cross country teams. Since 2010, he also coaches Girls’ Volleyball at
McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL. Previous to his current positions, he coached the girls’ volleyball team
at West Prairie Middle School, where his team made it to the top 16.
He also coached the Midwest Magic 14u club volleyball team. He has also coached at
numerous high school summer camps. Shane has been an assistant coach and coach for numerous boys’ and girls’ Energy VBC
teams since 2008, notching tournament wins and placing 21st at
Nationals.
Shane Green is responsible for coordinating and directing all adult
tournaments at Energy Sports Complex.
Email:
green@energyvbc.com
Cell Phone: (847) 710-0252