By Mitch Abramson
It shouldn't come as a surprise then that Smith participated as a player-coach on this years' New York City Open women's volleyball team at the Empire State Games, giving instructions from the sidelines and leading by example on the floor. The Bellerose native sings the national anthem before her own volleyball games and graduated from college in three years; she can handle coaching and playing at the same time.With Smith a constant presence from the setter position and three of her current and former St.John's players by her side, New York City defeated Western Ñ a team it beat during pool play earlier Ñ 17-25, 25-17, 25-19 Saturday at Johnson City Elementary School in Binghamton to win its first gold medal since 2000. The win was payback for last year's loss in the finals to Western.”We really came together as a team,” Persico-Smith said.Smith, a bouncy, bundle of energy who has as much get up and go as some volleyball frontlines, has been a player-coach since 2000; her record speaks for itself. In four years, her teams made the finals every time, winning a gold medal in 2000 and silver the other years.”It's comforting to have her out on the floor with us,” said Jackie Ahlers, a National All-American honorable mention at St. John's who set a Big East conference record for kills in a single season with 608. “Everyone knows she is the coach, but she is also a friend, and she definitely brings a lot of pep to the mix. I have to admit that it was a little weird in the beginning, but it's good to have her on the team, and we actually coach her more then she coaches us. In school she is our coach, but out here she is a player just like us. She is our equal.”That point was made abundantly clear early in the tournament as Persico-Smith, 38 and a virtual legend among the volleyball cognoscente was having an off day, missing her sets and in dire need of some encouragement. Along came Olga Roudovski, a former first team All-Big East selection and one of Persico-Smith's former players at St. John's. Still in its infancy as a volleyball program, the Red Storm is going into its tenth season with Persico-Smith at the helm in what was previously a club sport before she took over. She worked a miracle, taking a 10-25 team her first year and going 24-10 the following season. Last year they went 26-9 and collected the most wins in team history. Coaching merits aside; on the floor where she is a player and not a coach, she is fair game. “Olga came up to me when I was having a rough game and said: “Coach, do what you always tell us to do after a couple of bad sets,” said Persico- Smith, a resident of Bellerose. “That felt good because it meant that the lessons I have been teaching have sunk in. (As a coach) I try to create an atmosphere where the players respect me, but they don't fear me. Olga was telling me not to get flustered. I welcome the players' feedback.”Somebody is listening. Wherever Persico-Smith has gone, personal accomplishment and team glory have followed. In May, she was the second woman ever inducted into the St.Francis Prep Hall of Fame, joining fellow alum like the Yankees' Joe Torre and Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers. That's good company to keep. In addition to St. Francis Prep, Smith has also taken up residence at Syracuse University's Orange Plus Hall of Fame where she was inducted in 1988. The year before, she won the Big East Player of the Year. As someone who has played the game since she was 10, Persico-Smith has seen the sport evolve and, because she is sharp as a whip, she has been able to adjust her game.”Today the game is won at the net,” she said. “People are more athletic and so powerful. It used to be in the 80's that you could be 5-foot-7 and be in the front row. That's changed. I was always a student of the game, very team oriented. Volleyball is the ultimate team game.”In the final against the Western region, New York City dropped the first set as they had trouble defending against its digs, but as the second set began, the momentums swung back their way. Ahlers took control at the net and Smith and her players took home the gold medal.”The Empire (State Games) gives me an opportunity to play with some of the girls from my team,” she said. “I may have to start training in early spring by running and lifting weights to get ready and I may spend more money on BenGay and Icy Hots for my body, but I have too much fun here, and I get to see the game from both perspectives.”Reach reporter Mitch Abramson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
