Ponte Vedra coach Mignerey hitting milestones on the court
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (BVM) — The Ponte Vedra Sharks volleyball team is back-to-back state champions. Its prowess at the prep level stage is no secret. An undefeated season where they defeated most of their opponents pretty handedly is telling of their talent.聽
But a team is only as good as its coach. Fortunately, the Sharks have one of the best in the business. Robin Mignerey is the first coach in Florida history from the northeast region to be named coach of the year, as well as the first to win consecutive FSHAA titles.聽
These accolades now join her many prestigious volleyball career honors. As a former volleyball player for the Clemson Tigers, Mignerey was inducted into the university鈥檚 athletic hall of fame in 2013. Following her playing career, the former Tiger was a three-year assistant coach at Jacksonville University, and then had a three-year stint as the head coach for the Dolphins.聽
Eventually, the travel schedule of a Division I program began to be too much. With Mignerey beginning a family, she wanted more time to be at home. So for a while, coaching wasn鈥檛 in the cards. The way Ponte Vedra ended up landing her as their long-time head coach was just a stroke of luck.聽
鈥淚 had the opportunity through one of my former teammates who coached at Wake Forest, she knew one girl who was coaching at Ponte Vedra High School,鈥� Mignerey said. 鈥淚 was an able body so I would come play and scrimmage with them. Then she got a different job and the opportunity to slide in presented itself.鈥�
After years of being out of the coaching game and having two daughters who were just 6 and 4 years old, Mignerey didn鈥檛 know if she was ready. But she took the job, and the volleyball dynasty she has now built within Ponte Vedra actually started with her young daughters.聽
As a volleyball-crazed family, Mignerey and her daughters would go to the beach to play or join club teams to work on improving their skills. Her daughters would bring their friends along, building a group of young girls in the area who all loved to play the game. As the varsity coach at the local high school, Mignerey was able to watch them develop before her own eyes for years, now finally coaching them all at the high school level.
鈥淲e established a nice base of girls here. I鈥檝e known them all since they were 5 or 6,鈥� Mignerey said. 鈥淭hey had a friend base that played all the time growing up. We鈥檝e been pretty fortunate.鈥�
Not only was Mignerey able to groom her daughters and their friends as the years went on, but now having two teenage daughters helps her to further understand the other girls on the team. The Sharks鈥� coach believes that having the apprehension of a high school girl’s life helps her get the best out of her players.
鈥淚 see them up till 1 a.m. studying, then going to school from 8 to 3. Having patience with them has helped me as a coach,鈥� Mignerey said. 鈥淗aving that understanding is an advantage on my side as to how to get the most out of the girls.鈥�
Because she鈥檚 able to help the girls cope with things that may be burdens in their everyday life, they come to practice prepared and focused. Mignerey is able to teach them the little things that go a long way in volleyball and in life, such as communication and responsibility.聽
鈥淚 don’t wanna hear from mom and dad, you’re a young adult. I want them being their own voice. I really enforced that on the girls, my expectations for them are drawn out,鈥� Mignerey said. 鈥淚 have a net crew. Four girls that set up the net…how to manage that kind of stuff, road trips, away games, little things that make things run smoother. Volleyball becomes easy because you can focus on it.鈥�
But Mignerey is humble. Although she鈥檚 proud of all of her accomplishments, and relishes in her knowledge of the game, she recognizes that the families in the program make her job a lot easier.聽
鈥淲e really have good families. I know that’s corny to say but we do have good families. Families that can provide for their kids; it’s not a cheap sport to play,鈥� Mignerey said. 鈥淎 lot of girls have played club for a couple of years. We have parents that can bring meals, volunteer, that are so giving and appreciative.鈥�
With all these factors playing equal parts, Mignerey has a winning formula going in Ponte Vedra Beach. The 12th-year head coach currently holds a 269-72 overall record and will be returning 10 of her 15 rostered girls for the 2021 season.聽
