Quiet Fame Comes to Reading's Michelle Hopkinson

Whatever you do, don't tell anyone to read this, don't go sharing it on social media. No, longtime Reading coach Michelle Hopkinson doesn't want anyone to know she was inducted into the Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame last Sunday. Let's keep this one between us.

"I was completely humbled and honored," said Hopkinson, whose was inducted with seven other coaches in a banquet at Granite Links in Quincy. "Just to be there with them, and amongst all the talented coaches, it was just humbling."

Winning was part of the reason Hopkinson was inducted, but don't try and figure out how many wins she has. There were 60 — give or take — at the start of her career as an 18-year-old coach at Avon. Then there was another 150 — give or take — at Reading Memorial High School. Suffice to say, she's won a lot — give or take.

"I think I'm over 200 wins anyway, but I don't know," said Hopkinson. "I don't know what it is. I've never kept track. It's not important to me."

The Avon High graduate was barely out of her cap-and-gown when she got a call.

"I was at Avon Middle High School and they called me, I was a phys ed major, and they called, 'can you help us out' coaching at my old high school. I said 'sure.' I started with softball, then the volleyball position came open in '87 so I did that, and then turned into basketball, and so I was coaching three seasons for them," said Hopkinson, who was inducted into Avon's Hall of Fame in 2008. "I was there for like eight years after graduation. I had already graduated from college by then, I had already been married, my last year my first daughter was worn in September."

With the birth of her daughter, the last thing on her mind was coaching.

"At that point I thought my coaching career was over. I was starting a family, I was married, so I put it aside for a long time. Then I moved to Reading, my kids were growing and I helped the rec department run some volleyball clinics. The next thing I know I get a phone call from (former Reading athletic director) Phil Vaccaro. We went back-n-forth for like three years. Finally a position opened up and I came. Thanks to Phil I'm here."

Between the two schools and years of success, she's collected her share of awards. Reading has won the Middlesex Liberty title four times, won the Division 1 North title in 2008, and is a regular tournament participant. But she admits she's not very good at being honored.

"I'm the worst person to receive them," whose current team stands at 6-11. "I love what I do. To have someone give me this honor for something I love doing, it's really appreciated."

Hopkinson gets the final word, offering thanks to the organization for helping her succeed.

"The MGVCA gets complete credit on this. And please write that," said Hopkinson, who is the organization's secretary. "This is an amazing organization that really nurtures coaching and the volleyball community. Rob Slavin (Sacred Heart) and Tom Turco (Barnstable) are winning coaches but they're also making sure other coaches are winning coaches. That's the character of the organization. They're giving back all the time."

So this is a story about a sport and the coaching organization that supports it. It's not about you-know-who. Or that honor she just received. Don't tell a soul.

Photo by Bob Holmes