BUCYRUS — When the volleyball head coaching job opened for the second straight year, Bucyrus athletic director Kelli Williams didn’t have go outside the city limits to find the right person for the job.
Thursday night, the Bucyrus Board of Education approved the hiring of Jennifer Patrilla as the new Lady Redmen head volleyball coach.
Patrilla — a 2002 alumna of BHS — returned to Bucyrus in December with her husband Tony, to work in the family business, J3 Point of Sale Software, operated by her dad, Fred Fischer. The move put her in position to be available for the job.
“I wanted to get back and help out with a struggling volleyball program,” Patrilla said. “I wanted to get it going again.”
Having played in the Bucyrus program from 1999-2002 for coaches Shannon Henize and Bob Cundiff, Patrilla has been familiar with the program, including its most recent history in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference.
The Redmen have gone 34-104 in th six-years of the N10, including 4-42 in the past two years. Bucyrus has never finished higher than fifth in the league. So, Patrilla comes in with eyes wide open.
While never having been a head coach, Patrilla has stayed active in volleyball in the intervening years. She started by coaching the local Odyssey Volleyball Club in the Bucyrus area from 2002-05.
Highlights of her career include varsity assistant and head reserve coach at Grove City Central Crossing, and the same position at Dublin St. Francis DeSales and Upper Arlington as well as being freshman coach at Big Walnut. Patrilla also coached numerous club, all-star and AAU teams over the years.
Her full-time job in human resources at the Columbus Zoo had prevented Patrilla from seeking a head job, so despite her impressive resume, this will be a change.
“I was in HR at the Columbus Zoo and it was always a full-time job,” Patrilla said. “Coaching has been kind of secondary for fun. I’m excited to get started. We’ll see. It’s going to be different.”
Williams was happy to get such a qualified candidate already in town.
“It came down to a few candidates that could do a good job for us,” Williams said. “Jennifer has her enthusiasm that can benefit the kids.”
Jill Burling, who agreed to take over for one year following the resignation of Ally Coleman last summer, was instrumental in getting Patrilla interested in the job.
“I talked to Jill a good hour at a basketball game,” Patrilla said. “She won’t be on my staff, but she has agreed to help in the transition.”
Bucyrus softball coach Jerry “Pudge” Hargis was also helped recruit Patrilla to apply for and eventually accept the job.
“I did end up talking to the four coaches who will hopefully return,” Patrilla said. “The school is allowing contact starting on June 1, that’s the plan. I haven’t had a lot of contact yet, so I’m still in the early stages.”
Patrilla is hoping that the loss of sports this spring will inspire more kids to come out for volleyball, anxious to return to sports activities. She is targeting the entire program, not just at the high school level.
“One thing I will say — there has been a lot of disconnect between the lower grades and high school,” Patrilla said. “I want it to be a program, high school and middle school, doing the same things and getting to know each other.”
“We’re fortunate to have Jen,” Williams said. “She knows the game and she’s from Bucyrus. Her enthusiasm is well-known. We’re excited to see what she can do.”