Like a great movie script, the story of Larry Bock and the Juniata College women's volleyball team had a defining moment. It was one of those times when the drama intensifies and the music builds to a crescendo. In this case, the moment paved the way for Juniata to become a power in Division III volleyball, and foreshadowed Bock's move to a Hall of Fame career that featured his 1,000th victory as the women's coach in the 2004 season.

In 1978-Bock's second season as head coach-Juniata dropped a heartbreaking match in the finals of the MAC Championship. Until that time, Bock was just a part-time coach who spent his days working out loans at the Union National Bank in Huntingdon. But looking at the faces of his athletes following that difficult loss, it became clear that it was time to give a bit more of himself to the coaching profession.

“I remember seeing the girls upset after that match, and being impacted by how devastated they were,” Bock says. “These were serious athletes who cared. And I could tell from that point that I was going to get serious.”

Bock's seriousness has produced one of the finest coaching resumes in NCAA athletics. He ranks first among collegiate volleyball coaches in victories and winning percentage and counting his 100 wins as the Juniata men's coach (1990-95) gives him well over 1,100 triumphs as a collegiate volleyball coach.

Though a coach and teacher are what he has become, that was never the plan. A competitor in a number of sports in his high school days, Bock attended Penn State hoping to see action as a member of the Nittany Lions baseball team. When his baseball aspirations didn't work out, Bock joined his roommate in hanging around the club volleyball program. From there, Bock continued playing the game after graduating with a degree in agricultural business. Bock started a career in banking, working first as a “repo man” for a State College finance company, and then as a loan officer at the Huntingdon bank. His job then brought him to Huntingdon where he continued to stay involved with the sport.

Then, when Title IX became law, Juniata decided that women's volleyball would be a good sport to add as a varsity program.

Former athletic director Bill Berrier '60 knew Bock had a background in volleyball and offered him the job as the women's coach. The bank felt community involvement was a high priority, and Bock asked if his coaching part-time would qualify. It did. “I couldn't wait to tell the rest of the guys what I was doing for my community service,” Bock laughs.

There were certainly some growing pains, as Bock had never coached volleyball at any level prior to taking the job. Ever a willing student, Bock picked the brain of Berrier along with Tom Tait-the former men's volleyball coach at Penn State-to learn as much as he could. Some of those lessons helped shape the style that has been overwhelmingly effective during his 28 years. “When he was given the ball he ran with it. I'm very proud of him and of what he has done for Juniata,” Berrier says.

“Coach Berrier told me 'that most coaches talk too much,'” Bock explained. “I've always preferred to stay in the background when I coach. My strength is probably in putting the athletes in the right places and then just getting out of the way. Any time I try to be demonstrative I just end up embarrassing myself.”

“Larry's strength is how he takes the abilities of the group he has and gets them to work together as a team,” explained Mark Pavlik, the head men's volleyball coach at Penn State and a former Juniata assistant coach (1989-93). “He is able to stress team goals first and foremost, which has been a big part of his success.”

Quiet, unassuming, and never seeking the spotlight, Bock seems almost embarrassed when discussing his remarkable record. He stands-or more appropriately sits-in stark contrast to the me-first culture that has become prevalent in both professional and collegiate sports. A first time observer of a Juniata volleyball match might not even notice him as he calmly sits on the bench, calling out instructions and writing notes.

Yet while Bock might not fit the stereotype of a winning coach-the fiery personality or big motivational speeches- don't be fooled. Underneath the calm persona is an extremely competitive person who will go great lengths to win. “Larry seems calm and collected on the outside, but I know he goes home and paces the floor for half the night when he is trying to solve a problem with the team,” explains Juniata associate coach Heather Pavlik '95. Heather has worked with Bock as a coach for eight seasons. “One of my keys over the years has been that people will underestimate how hard I'll work to have our team ready,” Bock says. “You will rarely see our team get out-worked in a match.” “Larry is one of the most quietly competitive people I've ever met,” Mark Pavlik explains. “I honestly don't think I'm capable of putting in the type of work he does. On a scale of one to 10 of the amount of work a coach does-Larry is probably a 27.”

“He's in a class of his own and I'm sure his players feel fortunate to be a part of Juniata volleyball,” explains Julie Jenkins, the head coach of national power and Juniata rival Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. “You can tell they love playing for Larry.”

“What makes Larry a great coach is that he keeps everything in perspective-meaning his players always come first,” says Jennifer McDowell, head coach at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. “He has been an incredible role model for so many of us in the coaching world! Larry is a legend who has no doubt helped take volleyball to another level in the United States.”

With all the accolades and respect from peers and co-workers, it might be easy to look past the group on which Bock has had the biggest impact-his players. But rest assured, there is almost universal feelings of love and gratitude for the man who helped shape their athletic career and their lives. Indeed Bock has coached 28 All-Americans, more than any other women's coach at any level. All-American setter Carli Dale '05 explains, “Larry is such a great person and coach that even if you don't want to give everything you have and win for yourself, you want to do those things for him. He is just a wonderful person and he truly cares about each of his players.”

Erin Wisor '05 points out that Bock's players respond to him because of “the genuine concern that Larry and Heather have for their student-athletes. When I first talked to [Larry and Heather] I got the sense they were genuinely interested in me-Erin the person, not just Erin the player.”

Yet with all the wins and everything that has and will be said as a tribute, for Bock it all comes down to trying to ensure that his players get something other than volleyball memories from their time at Juniata.

“I don't think I could do what our athletes do,” Bock says. “The players we have are just so impressive. I enjoy seeing the relationships that they form. When they leave Juniata, they aren't going to remember the wins and losses. They're going to remember their teammates and the fun they had.”

Maybe a movie script isn't the right analogy to describe Bock's career. Too corny. A small-town guy picks up volleyball in college, then becomes the head coach of a small Division III program in another small town and turns the program into a national power? Along the way he becomes the winningest coach in NCAA volleyball with more than 1,000 wins and is inducted into the charter class of the AVCA Hall of Fame? And to top it off, he's a mild-mannered, generous person who would do anything for his players and in turn has players who will do anything for him? Nah, that's a script that is just too farfetched to believe. And yet Juniata has been fortunate enough to enjoy the reality of Larry Bock and his record-breaking career for nearly 30 years.