A visit with WPIAL champion coach Bob Miller

Background Info: Bob Miller became North Allegheny's boys volleyball coach in 1968 and served until 2002. The Tigers won six WPIAL titles (1985, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999) and four PIAA crowns (1979, 1987, 1991, 1999) during his 35-years at the helm. Miller also coached North Allegheny's girls team from 1982 until 2002. The Tigers won two WPIAL titles (1993, 1996) and three PIAA titles (1992, 1993, 1994) during his 22 years. He is a member of the WPIAL Hall of Fame, North Allegheny Hall of Fame, and Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He is also a current member of the WPIAL Volleyball Committee.

Bob Miller's WPIAL Memories.
"When I started coaching, the WPIAL championship was the ultimate. If you could win the WPIAL championship, with as many as 140 school competing and only one classification, that was the ultimate. Then you had to come back down and play in the state playoffs. It meant more to us, because we had never been to states. In the WPIAL, we were going against teams like Farrell, Norwin, Penn Hills, Derry, Baldwin, Plum, and Elderton, and I probably forgot a few others. Many of the best teams in the state were in the WPIAL at the time, but only only the champion advanced to the state tournament. We didn't have a second berth in the state tournament until 1978. So in order to get to states, you had to win the WPIAL. It was so hard. There were so many good programs."

Miller's most memorable years came during a stretch from 1991-93.
"We won three PIAA girls titles from 1991 until 1993. We only won one WPIAL title during that stretch. We lost in the WPIAL final the other two years, but were able to win the PIAA title all three years. I'm also very proud of what the boys program has been able to do. North Allegheny's boys program has qualified for the WPIAL Tournament every year. We haven't missed the WPIAL playoffs since the program was started."