1978 Women's Volleyball - Outstanding Team

The best women’s volleyball team in school history did not have a player taller than 5-foot-8 and warmed up for each game to the sounds of the band Earth, Wind and Fire. It was a small team made up of just nine players locally from Glendale, Hoover, Crescenta Valley and Holy Family High School’s but scrappy enough to defeat almost everyone they faced during the 1978 season.

They played in front of a packed Verdugo Gym crowd for all their home games complete with a roaring student section and a drum beaten by men’s soccer coachand2005 hall of fame inductee Cherif Zein. They were coached by Dianne Spangler, a 2006hall of fame inductee as head coach of the 1980 state champion women’s cross country team and Judy Thomsen.
It was a time in their lives that they will never forget.

“Each player received personal game notes and it was both in narrative and in a diagram, indicating how many 'kills', how many 'sets', how many 'digs', how many 'blocks' and how many 'dinks' we made or did during the games,’’ said volleyball team member Vicki Utley. “The game analysis both complimented and encouraged, and gave us pointers on how we could improve on our positions and make us better players. I just re-read them after going through all of the memorabilia, and it blew me away at the time and the effort, and the total commitment our coaches had to see to it that we as a team and as individuals were the best we could be.”

“That is how we as a team advanced to the championship in 1978.Lots of hard work and effort! The coaches never yelled in a mad way, but coached with poise and strategy. They were always prepared, scouting each of our opponents, letting us know the strengths and weaknesses of each team, each of the players. ’’The little team that could fought through a tough Western State Conference season to secure the league title and a trip to San Jose for the state championships. They beat De Anza College in the quarterfinals to secure a berth in the semifinals, which was the best result of any team in school history.

Cynthia Chubbuck, a setter on the 1978 team, recalled the tone for that season was set early by the coaches during tryouts.

“My first recollection of the season was tryouts. Spang sent a message early on that she expected more of us when some of the returning players, such as myself, did not make the team straight out.” Chubbuck said “She posted a list of players who made the team and below it was a list for future consideration. I wasn't surprised when the next practice was much more intense. I think Spang learned that we really wanted to be part of this team.’’

At season’s end, win or lose, the 1978 women’s volleyball team that is being honored with it’s induction into the athletic hall of fame has more than memories to hold onto from that season. A few props should also be given to the group Earth, Wind, and Fire whose hits like 'Fantasy' and 'September' were the warm-up songs for the Lady Vaqs that were burned into everyone’s memory. Those songs were uplifting, inspiring, and motivating which is exactly how the season went for the players and coaches.