Twenty years ago, Karl Moehlmann began coaching the boys’ volleyball team at Cherry Hill High School East.
Now, as he looks to retirement at the end of the school year, Moehlmann, 64, sees a streak of wins, strong players spanning years and the completion of a life pursuit.
A native of Germany, he has also served as the school’s German teacher. Plus, he finished his last season as the boys’ soccer coach in the fall.
“I just feel like it’s time for a transition to something else,” he said.
From 1994 to 2001, East volleyball had 107 wins with no losses against South Jersey teams.
He refers to the 1990s as “magical years.”
The team was state and conference champions from 1996 to 1998.
The first loss was felt on April 5, 2001 against Cherry Hill West.
“I remember at that time I said, ‘I’m glad I lost to West,’” Moehlmann said. “They had probably the best program together with us.”
Currently, the Olympic Conference team has 318 wins and 100 losses with 11 conference titles to boot.
The last three years in particular have been good to the team.
“We hope that we’ll win the conference again this year,” he said.
The closest team in overall wins is Eastern, which also reached 300 wins last year.
“We’re 14 wins ahead,” he said of his archrival.
Other teams to watch out for include Southern Regional, Washington Township, Williamstown and Cinnaminson, he said.
Boys join the team for fun, as there are not many collegiate opportunities in the sport.
“The girls have many more teams than the boys have,” due to Title 9, he said.
If athletes do wish to continue in college, they tend to migrate to southern schools, which offer more programs.
“The players that we get play for the love of it,” he said. “More and more, the best players are just focusing on this one sport.”
Moehlmann has always had a passion for volleyball, playing it in Germany while young as part of a physical education program.
Five years after he became the soccer coach at East, the idea was brought forth to start the volleyball program.
“I was interested,” he said.
Over time, he grew into the intensity of the sport in the United States and calls East’s early winning streak as having had a “little bit of luck.”
Moehlmann commutes to the school, where he has taught since 1978, from Ridley Park, Pa.
Looking back, he believes he has given the school his best and in turn has found himself.
“This is who I am and this is what I represent,” he said, explaining that he has always been blessed with students and athletes who excel.
“It’s more than just a job,” he said. “It’s a life goal that I lived.”
As he still feels fit and young, he plans to continue in the education world at a lower degree.
In Germany, teachers can go on a half schedule.
“We don’t have that here,” he said.
He is looking to the new assistant coach, Ori Haver, to potentially take over his role after the season.
“He just moved here from Israel,” where he played professionally throughout Europe, Moehlmann said.
Haver will bring his background to the team.
“He’s an excellent addition,” he said.
From Moehlmann’s vantage point, student athletes most apt to succeed in volleyball are those who have good coordination, jumping ability and are fast and flexible.
Participating in basketball helps with jumping and ball handling techniques.
“What we do is we specialize,” he said, with centers, blockers and defensive players.
Teammates are placed in positions to maximize their individual skills.
“That’s the key really in volleyball,” he said.
This season’s lineup includes Nick DiVito, who will be the team’s captain, Liam McIntyre, Gary Hettinger, Tom Johnson, Austin Billig, Steven Oberlander, Nick Mitchell, Kyle Golden, Jon Levine, Adam Elgrissy, James Sundstrond, Dan Dubin and Omar Safak, all of whom are seniors.
The only junior on the team is Jake Rudin.
At East, the love of volleyball has been a constant from the very beginning of the program, with alumni regularly returning for practices, and camaraderie high.
“We never looked back,” Moehlmann said, glancing toward the future with great hopes for the continued success of the team after he is gone.
