When the Whitehall girls volleyball team reconvenes on the court this fall, they’ll be guided by someone who’s familiar with turning a program into state champions.

Paul Abi-Daher owns a résumé that is both extensive and impressive. He has been coaching volleyball for 15 years, and spent the last six of those at Bethlehem Catholic where he served five of those as the head coach. During his tenure he led the Golden Hawks to its first and only state title in 2014, helping to resurrect a program that became a perennial district championship contender. They were in the finals five consecutive years, winning three district titles over that span.

Abi-Daher compiled an 87-26 record over his five years at the helm and now looks forward to the challenge of helping another program rise to new heights.

For the last two seasons, George Cowitch has been doing double duty as both the boys and girls volleyball coach at Whitehall. Cowitch decided that running both programs was too much to have on his plate and stepped down earlier this year, opening the door for a new coach.

Abi-Daher steps into a program with a lot of promise and talent and will look to mold these players into playoff contenders. In doing so, he said that it’s important for everyone to be on the same page.

“We all have to be committed to the program, that’s both athletically and academically,” said Abi-Daher. “We also have to be respectful to everyone.”

That respect is important to his core values as a coach. He believes that three elements are needed for success, as trust, commitment and respect will form the foundation of his program.

“All those elements matter,” said Abi-Daher. “You really need all three, you really do.”

He also wants to change the dynamic and how the school thinks about volleyball. He said that too often the programs are separated at the different levels within the schools and wants them all under the same umbrella.

“We want to bridge the gap between the middle school and the high school, and make them all one unit at Whitehall,” said Abi-Daher. “That’s my mission.”

It’s also important to understand that the team supersedes all else. He said it’s not about building individuals, but building a team. It won’t be based on specific individual needs, but the betterment of the team. That’s the direction he wants to take it at Whitehall.