The Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association (IGCA) is pleased to announce Mike Meyer, former Remsen St. Mary’s and Gehlen Catholic head volleyball coach, into its Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame for 2022. The ceremony will be in conjunction with the 2022 Senior All Star weekend at Johnston High School on November 12th.
Meyer says the honor surprised him and humbled him.
Meyer says that, while this is an individual honor, it makes him stop and think about all the wonderful players and coaches that he’s had the chance to work with.
Meyer took over the Remsen St. Mary’s volleyball program in 1979. The first volleyball match he ever witnessed was the first one he coached.
From there, Meyer went on to coach collegiately both at Westmar and Northwestern. Once coaches make the leap from high school to college, it’s uncommon for them to make the step down again. Coach Meyer did that when he took over at Gehlen Catholic in 2006. He says getting the opportunity to teach history and social studies again was the driving force for him to come back to the high school level.
Coach Meyer got to do many things while coaching volleyball. He took Remsen St. Mary’s to their first and only state tournament in 1984, he led Northwestern to seven conference titles and five national tournament appearances, and he led Gehlen Catholic to 12 state tournaments including four semifinal appearances and two runner-up finishes. After all of that, he says the biggest joy was seeing the joy radiate from his player’s faces after achieving something they’ve worked hard for.
In volleyball, Meyer has learned that having great people is better than having great players on your team. He says the relationships he’s made through volleyball are what he misses most now that he’s no longer coaching.
Thankfully, Gehlen Catholic students still get to enjoy Meyer for a while yet. He says he still enjoys teaching and has also enjoyed the extra focus he’s been able to devote to his classes this fall.
Meyer is one of 42 honorees inducted into the coaches hall of fame since it opened in 2005.
Mike Meyer was the head coach at Gehlen Catholic, LeMars, Iowa from 2006-2021 and prior to that at Remsen St. Mary’s, Remsen, Iowa from 1979-1987. He also coached college between his two high school assignments at Westmar College and Northwestern College, in Orange City, Iowa. His overall high school record is 560-191. Mike led 13 teams to the state tournament finishing 2nd two times. He also has four semi-final appearances. Mike was named Class 1A District Coach of the year six times, while his conference does not name a coach of the year. Mike’s college record was 452-151.
Mike served on the IGHSAU Advisory Board from 2014-2017. Mike is also currently a member of the IGCA and American Volleyball Coaches Association. Mike Meyer was selected as the 2020-2021 Iowa Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year. During his tenure at Northwestern College, Mike also led the Red Raiders to five NAIA National Tournament Appearances. Mike was also the assistant baseball coach at Remsen St. Mary’s which went on to win six state baseball championships.
Mike is retired from coaching, but is still employed at Gehlen Catholic High School as a Junior High and High School Social studies teacher. Mike lives in Orange City, Iowa.
