SOURCE: USA Volleyball
Go to 1996 Roster
Fred Sturm
Head Coach
"Reversal of Fortune" was a best-selling book, a critically acclaimed motion picture and, coincidentially, is a phrase that could be used to describe the past two seasons of the USA men's volleyball team under the direction of Fred Sturm, now in his sixth year as head coach of the national team.In both 1994 and 1995, Team USA overcame disappointing performances in the 12-team, $6-million World League to finish the year with strong showings in major international tournaments.
For example, Sturm's troopers rebounded from an 4-8 mark in World League '95, to a fourth-place finish in the prestigious World Cup. Even more impressive was the fact that Sturm had to continually juggle his lineup due to a rash of injuries. After losing two of its first three World Cup '95 matches, Team USA posted wins in six of its final eight contests, losing only to World Cup champion-Italy. Overall, the Americans were 36-27 for the year.
But not during his three-decade involvement with volleyball, has Fred Sturm been part of a more dramatic reversal of fortune than the one experienced by Team USA in 1994.
Starting the year with a 6-4 record, after wining three of five matches from both Canada and China, Sturm's troopers looked forward to the $6-million World League '94. It was like Gen. George Armstrong Custer's men looking forward to the Little Big Born because when the dust had settled after a dozen matches, a humiliated Team USA was stir looking for its first victory. Overall, the Americans won just seven of 43 sets.
In Custer's case, the arrows eventually stopped coming. For Sturm, his team's dismal performance only intensified the attack of nay-saying outsiders. A lesser man would have quit under the circumstances. Sturm was resolute. He brought in new personnel, shuffled the starting lineup and made changes in attitudes. Just four months after absorbing its 12th and final defeat in World League play, Team USA was on the awards platform at the prestigious World Championship, receiving the bronze medal. Ironically, both events took place in Greece. As a bonus, the World Championship bronze medal earned an invitation to the lucrative FIVB World Super Four and an automatic $50,000. Team USA finished 1994 with a 27-26 record and Sturm notched his 100th win as head coach.
Under Sturm, the 11th head coach of the United States men's volleyball program, Team USA has generally fared well in major international events. He extended the Americans' streak with a bronze-medal performance by the"volleybatd"team at the '92 Olympics in Barcelona, the third consecutive Olympiad in which the United States had earned a medal.
Following the '92 Olympics, the USA placed third at the $3 million World League. The Americans defeated Olympic-silver-medalist Netherlands, after dropping a 3-1 decision to three-time World League-champion Italy. The U.S. also competed at the FIVB Super Four. For his efforts, Sturm was named as an assistant coach for the 1993 World Gala all-star team.
During his inaugurate campaign with the USA national program (1991), the USA carded a 29-23 record, including runner-up honors at the NORCECA Zone Championship, third-place at the World Cup and sixth place in the World League. The top USA victories of 1991 came against defending world champion-Italy and perennial world powers Soviet Union, Cuba and Brazil.
Sturm came to the USA men's team in Jan., 1991 (succeeding Bill Neville and interim head coach Jim Coleman). Even before coming aboard as Team USA's head coach, however, Sturm was not a stranger to the program, as he served as a consultant to the 1988 Olympic gold medal-winning squad, as well as with the victorious team at the 1986 World Championships. Sturm was an apprentice assistant with the USA men in 1981, and a member of the U.S. National Review Committee in 1985. Two years later (1987), he was the head men's coach at the World University Games. He played for the national team in 1976 and 1977.
Prior to joining Team USA, Sturm spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Stanford University. He directed the Cardinal men to a 1989 NCAA Final Four appearance, as well as a half-dozen top-five NCAA finishes. Sturm was selected NCAA Coach of the Year in 1989, when his squad finished as the runner-up in the NCAAs. He coached current USA national team players Duncan Blackman, and Scott Fortune, plus several former USA team players -- Dan Hanan, Jon Root, Chris Braun and Parker Blackman -- at Stanford.
The most successful coach in Stanford volleyball history, Sturm recorded more than 300 victories as the head coach of the school's men's and women's teams. He compiled a 153-159 mark in 12 years (1978-90) with the men's program, in addition to a 14s75-3 mark as the sole head women's coach (1978-83). During 1984 and 1985, Sturm and Don Shaw served as co-head coaches of the Cardinal women's program, registering a 48-8 record and a pair of NCAA runner-up finishes. He coached two-time Olympian Kim Oden at"The Farm."
During his collegiate career, Sturm helped lead UCLA to three NCAA titles (1972, 1975-76). He earned four letters with the Bruins, in addition to being selected to the 1976 NCAA AD-Tournament team. After earning his bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from UCLA in 1977, Sturm served as an assistant to UCLA men's head coach At Scates for one season. He was named assistant coach at Stanford later that same year, before taking over head coaching duties in 1978.
A five-time USVBA AD-America (197S80), Sturm also played on the Maccabi Union AAU dub team that won the 1977 national title and three years later, his club team -- The Olympic Club of San Francisco -- won the U. S. Open. He amassed 14 open titles in his beach volleyball career (1972-79).
Regarded by players and colleagues as a coach with a strong command of the technical aspects of the game, Sturm is a charter member and Level V instructor of the USA Coaching Accreditation Program (USA CAP).
Sturm, Born Jan.1, 1953, is single.
| Team | Year | Record | % | Top Finishes |
| USA (M) | 1995 | 36-27 | .571 | 4th, World Cup |
| USA (M) | 1994 | 27-26 | .509 | 3rd, World Championship |
| USA (M) | 1993 | 18-38 | .321 | 2nd, NORCECA/9th, World League |
| USA (M) | 1992 | 26-31 | .456 | 3rd, Olympics/3rd, World League |
| USA (M) | 1991 | 29-23 | .558 | 2nd, NORCECA/3rd. World Cup/ 6th World League |
| Total: | 136-145 | .484 |
| Team | Year | Record | % | Conference | NCAA |
| Stanford (M) | 1990 | 14-7 | .667 | 2nd | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1989 | 25-6 | .806 | 1st | 2nd |
| Stanford (M) | 1988 | 11-19 | .367 | 8th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1987 | 20-12 | .625 | 5th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1986 | 14-9 | .609 | 5th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1985 | 23-10 | .698 | 5th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1984 | 13-15 | .464 | 8th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1983 | 8-16 | .333 | 8th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1982 | 7-18 | .280 | 8th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1981 | 6-17 | .261 | 9th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1980 | 8-12 | .400 | 7th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1979 | 4-16 | .200 | 10th | — |
| Stanford (M) | 1978 | NA | — | — | — |
| TOTAL : | 153-159 | .491 |
| Team | Year | Record | % | Conference | National |
| Stanford (W) | 1985 | 28-3-0 | .903 | 1st | 2nd (NCAA) |
| Stanford (W) | 1984 | 20-54 | .800 | 1st | 2nd (NCAA) |
| Stanford (W) | 1983 | 22-9-0 | .710 | 2nd | 3rd (NCAA) |
| Stanford (W) | 1982 | 30-13-0 | .698 | 2nd | 4th (NCAA) |
| Stanford (W) | 1981 | 32-14-0 | .696 | 2nd | 5thT (AIAW) |
| Stanford (W) | 1980 | 33-18-0 | .647 | 2nd | 9thT (AIAW) |
| Stanford (W) | 1979 | 15-14-2 | .516 | 5th | — |
| Stanford (W) | 1978 | 14-7-1 | .659 | 2nd | — |
| TOTAL: | 194-83-3 | .698 |
Note: Storm and Don Shaw served as co head coaches of the women's team during the 1984 and 1985 seasons.