Sacred Heart Coach Rob Slavin receives awards from International and State Volleyball Halls of Fame

KINGSTON, Mass. - Nov. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- Sacred Heart Volleyball Coach Rob Slavin was honored this past weekend with two prestigious awards from the State and International Volleyball Halls of Fame, recognizing a long and successful career of coaching the Sacred Heart Saints.

On Saturday, he received the Mintonette Medallion of Merit Award from the national/international Hall of Fame in Holyoke, MA.  Honorees came from as far away as Brazil and the Czech Republic. Established in 1996, the Mintonette Medallion of Merit is awarded in recognition of significant individual achievement. The award traces its history to the inventor of volleyball, William G. Morgan, who played at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895 and was the first inductee into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. The game was originally called “mintonette.”

Coach Slavin was given presented citations for his accomplishments by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the US and Massachusetts' House of Representatives, Governor Patrick, and the mayor of Holyoke where Volleyball began and where the International Hall resides.

Later in the weekend, Slavin received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaching Association (MGVCA) at The Hall of Fame Induction Brunch at Granite Links in Quincy.

Coach Slavin was a 2006 inductee into the Hall of Fame and served as President of the Coaches Association for nearly a decade, growing the membership from a few dozen to over 200 coaches. He revived the Massachusetts Coaches Hall of Fame, and created a system for surfacing and vetting candidates for Hall of Fame recognition. Additionally, he has overseen selection of candidates every other year.

Coach Slavin initially started the volleyball program at Sacred Heart School. He coached at the school for 22 years, was named Coach of the Year several times, and is President Emeritus of the Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association. Currently, he serves as treasurer and executive board member of AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association). He has returned to Sacred Heart School this year to coach the Saints.

Pamela Desmarais, President of Sacred Heart School, said, “We are all so proud of Rob for his many accomplishments, and for all that he has done for us at Sacred Heart. He has been such an integral part of our School for more than two decades. We are fortunate to have him here and we share in his joy at receiving these awards.” She added, “And Coach Slavin is doing a great job for Sacred Heart again this year with an outstanding record!”  The Saints are 12-0 in the Mayflower Athletic League and

10-2 overall.

About Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart is a private, co-educational Catholic school system, which provides educational opportunities for students throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, from preschool through grade 12.  As a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Divine Providence, Sacred Heart School strives to inspire minds, define character and encourage responsible leadership through a curriculum that prepares students to pursue knowledge throughout their lives. The school provides students with a strong liberal arts curriculum, and integrates technology into the hands of students with its One to One iPad Program. Sacred Heart also offers extensive athletic, arts and extra-curricular activities for students.  Founded in 1947, the school underwent a governance change in July 2011, incorporating the Sacred Heart Schools in Kingston, MA as Sacred Heart School System, Inc. This new structure was implemented to assure the continuation of academic excellence of the Sacred Heart Schools for the future, as well as the Catholic mission and the religious community traditions. The school system serves students on a beautiful, expansive campus on Route 80 that includes three school buildings, a central administrative office, and athletic fields and facilities. Sacred Heart School welcomes students of all faiths and diverse backgrounds. The school prides itself in a commitment to developing the whole student, offering an independent school atmosphere and top-tier academics. Pamela Desmarais serves as the school’s President. The Sacred Heart campus is located at 251-399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. For additional information about the school, please visit www.sacredheartkingston.com or call 781-585-7511.