Stiefbold Steps in as Verona Volleyball Coach

Jeff Stiefbold is returning to his coaching roots.   

The longtime James Caldwell High School girls volleyball coach, with a career record of 497-101, has accepted a position coaching Verona’s squad next year.

Stiefbold not only began his coaching career as a volunteer volleyball coach for Verona in 1987, he was raised in town and graduated from Verona High School.

“I am excited to return home, to Verona, and continue my volleyball coaching career,” Stiefbold said. “I am eager to get back into the gym and start working with the outstanding student athletes at Verona High School with hopes of helping the volleyball program reach new heights.”

If those heights are anything like what the Caldwell Chiefs achieved under his leadership, from 1988-2009, things are looking up for the Hillbillies.

The Chiefs won six Group State Championships between 2000 and 2009, six Essex County Championships from 1999 to 2009 as well as 15 conference championships while he was coach. His brother, Scott, was assistant varsity coach and junior varsity coach for 23 seasons.

Stiefbold graduated from Verona High School in 1982 and went on to East Stroudsburg University.

It was during his college years that he was introduced to volleyball.

"My brother's roommate in college was a volleyball player and we used to go to the games," he said. "Then I was a volunteer assistant at Verona as I was a long term sub at H.B. Whitehorne ... I started coaching volleyball in Caldwell as a first year teacher and my passion grew."

Stiefbold has been named the Essex County Coach of the Year, the 2002 Star-Ledger New Jersey State Volleyball Coach of the Year was elected in 2007 to the NJSCA (New Jersey State Coaches Association) Hall of Fame.

Verona finished the 2012 season with a 10-10 record, according to NJ.com.

He’s had seven players selected First Team All-State All Groups in 12 Seasons, 54 All-Essex County Players in 12 Seasons and 2 All-Americans.