Head Coach Laurie LaRusso: Coach LaRusso is entering her 28th season at the helm of the Blue Wave. In that time the Wave has won 18 Division Titles, 18 FCIAC League Championships, 14 State Championships and has been ranked the number #1 Team in Connecticut 9 times. LaRusso has won many awards including: 2008 FCIAC Boy's Volleyball Coach of the Year, 2008 CT Sports Writers Doc Mcinerny Coach of the Year, 2007 Prepvolleyball.com - National HS Volleyball Coach of the Year, 2004-05 FCIAC Coach of the Year, 2004 Girl's Volleyball Coach of the Year & 1997 Connecticut High School Coaches Association-Volleyball Coach of the Year. She has also had the honor of coaching both the girls and boys CT Senior All Star teams and has been a NHSCA COY Finalist in 2009, 2003 and 1997. In 2007 she was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She is a USA CAP Level III Coach who has coached JO for 15 years and has worked many college camps. She attends many clinics during the off-season to keep her up to date on the latest techniques and research. LaRusso also runs volleyball clinics & camps in the off-season to help promote the sport. Coaching Highlight: Any time one of her former players or family member calls, writes, or stops by the gym! "It's always good to see or hear from family. To me, it is the greatest compliment to have your kids come back to visit. It means you might have actually made a difference in their life." In 2006 LaRusso started the DHS Boys Volleyball program. Top

Assistant Coach: Clifford E. Emanuelson, Jr "Mr. E" has coached one sport or another in Darien, Easton and Joel Barlow High School in West Redding for the past 33 years. Both in Mather Jr. High School and Darien High School, he has coached Girls’ track, Boys’ track, Girls’ Basketball, Girls’ softball and 31 years of coaching girls’ volleyball. For 20 years Mr. 'E' has been the assistant coach of the Blue Wave Volleyball team. In 2004 Mr.'E' was honored by Afflac - as Assistant Volleyball Coach of the year - for his many years of service to Darien Volleyball and in 2006 Mr. 'E' was recognized by the CHSCA as Assistant Coach of the Year. In Easton, Mr. E has coached boys’ travel soccer and basketball and had served as the President of the Easton Soccer Club. For 13 years Mr. E was the Head Boys’ Volleyball Coach of Joel Barlow High School. In that time, Barlow had been in the state championships for 13 years. The Barlow team had achieved three quarterfinals, four semi- finals, and one runner-up and had won three Class M State Championships and two State Open Championships. After 13 years as the Head Boy's Volleyball Coach at Joel Barlow High School, he retired in order to take on a new challenge - he was the Asst. Men's Coach for Sacred Heart University for three years alongside his son, CJ. Most recently, along side CJ and his wife, Meghan, Coach Emanuelson has joined another family venture in becoming one of the directors of CT Impact Volleyball Club. It has been an exciting adventure to build this club to be a powerhouse in JO competition around New England. Coaching Highlight: When players struggle to achieve a new skill the frustration of learning can become overwhelming. As players strive to achieve greater ability, they make the perfect pass, set or hit and it dawns on them that this is how it is suppose to be done. The look on their face and their demeanor is a reward in itself. Top

Assistant Coach,  Lauren Busskohl: Ms. Busskohl will be entering her 1st year of coaching the Blue Wave Freshman volleyball team. She has experience both as a volleyball player and as a coach. She played on Darien's first State Championship Team and was the freshman coach at Greenwich HS. We are very happy to have her back in Blue. Lauren is very excited to work with the girls and is looking forward to working with the entire Blue Wave Volleyball Team and coaching staff. Top

Assistant Coach, Burt Takesue: Burt joined the Blue Wave in the fall of 2000. During his career he has coached many different levels of volleyball from players who don't know the sport to Club Travel Teams who won the NERVA regionals. He has worked with McMahon(Girls), Joel Barlow (Boys), Darien (Boys, Girls), CT Jrs, Fairfield County Junior Olympics, CT Impact, and GEVA Women's/Men's Teams. He has also worked numerous camps to help build the sport; The ASD and The United States Military Academy, at West Point are just a few. Greatest Moment: The come from behind wins 2006 DHS(girls) v. Jonathan Law and 2008 DHS(Boys) V. Lewis Mills and the 2007 Girls perfect season. Top

Volunteer Assistant Coach, Kim Ferris: Kim will be in her second year of assisting the Blue Wave. A former (Darien) high school and college player who brings to the table her defensive expertise and extraordinary personality. Kim has been working with the Darien Boy's team since 2006.   Top

Former Volunteer Assistant Coach, Mark Martini: Mark started with the Blue Wave as the freshman coach in 1996.  Before that he assisted with the varsity practices.  He has been coaching with the Wave for 13 years.  His love of the game is contagious.  Mark has also coached the Ct Junior Club (17 and under & 15 and under) State teams and worked 4 years with CJVA volleyball summer camp. He enjoys playing volleyball, being a volunteer firefighter and spending time with his family. Greatest Coaching experience: Watching players’ development from freshman through senior year.  Also seeing and hearing from players who have gone through the program. Top

Former Volunteer Assistant Coach, Scott Fletcher: Flet started with the Blue Wave as an everyday coach in the fall of the 1994 season. Before that he occasionally scouted games and assisted on some practices. He has been the freshman coach since 1998 and in that time has compiled a 24-7 record going 11-3 in 1999. Since being with the Wave, the Varsity they have a 170-3 record including 6 State Class M Championships, 6 FCIAC Championships, 6 Division Championships and 4 #1 rankings in the state of CT. He has been a longtime fan of the team before working with them. He sits on the opposite end of the bench than the other coaches one of his many superstitions. He enjoys playing volleyball, working on motorcycles and being a volunteer firefighter. Coaching Highlight: The 1996 FCIAC’s and the 1996 CT. State Class M Finals coming from 2 games down for the wins. Top