It’s difficult to talk about the boys high school volleyball in Massachusetts in the last 15 years and not talk about Dave Powell. In the spring of 2020, Powell was named as the Boston Herald's Coach of The Decade for the decade spanning 2010-2020. This award was given to one boys high school coach in Eastern Massachusetts. During that stretch, Powell helped guide the Rockets to the program's first ever State Title in 2015 along with two State Final Appearances in 2016 and 2018. Since the 2020 season was cancelled due to the Coronavirus, Needham came back from the pandemic by winning three consecutive state titles and amassing a 73 match win streak in the process. In addition to his Boston Herald Coach of the Decade award, Powell has been named the Boston Globe Coach of the Year in 2015, 2018, and 2022 and MIAA Coach of the Year in 2015. Needham's Boys Volleyball program currently has two players playing Division 1 volleyball. Powell has brought those coaching skills to PHD Volleyball where he is lauded by many players that come through the program for not just his knowledge in helping them improve as volleyball players, but also as people. Powell's creation of program camps and leadership development have been vital in the success of PHD's summer camps, Team and Program Camps, and Boys and Girls Tryout Preps. A Boston Globe All Scholastic in 2002, Powell graduated from Norwood High School, Wheaton College (2006) and Boston College (2008.) In the wintertime, Powell spends his time, refereeing NCAA men’s college basketball, refereeing in six different Division One conferences along the East Coast. Powell has multiple leadership roles in both the basketball officiating and coaching communities, serving on the Executive Board of College Basketball Officials Association as well as an officer on Boston IAABO Board 27. He also serves on the Board of the Massachusetts Association of Volleyball Coaches.
Helmas is the current first assistant coach for the women's volleyball team at Babson College. In Patrick's first year at Babson, the school enjoyed a record-breaking campaign. Babson finished the season with a record of 27-9, setting the mark for most wins in school history. Additionally, Helmas was instrumental in Babson's run to a conference championship and their first ever NCAA tournament appearance. When not at Babson, Helmas coaches for SMASH Girls Volleyball, is the head coach for the top 16's SMASH Boys Volleyball team, and is also the assistant coach for the Needham High School boys volleyball team - one of the top ranked boys high school volleyball teams in Massachusetts. While coaching for SMASH Boys, his teams have reached the final in thirteen out of fourteen total NERVA tournaments and have never finished outside of the top three teams in New England. Before his time with PHD Volleyball and Babson College, Helmas has coached men's college volleyball at Bryant University, women's college volleyball at Lesley University, and girls high school volleyball at Concord Carlisle Regional High School. Helmas attended Norwood High School, where he was a Bay State League All-Star for two years, team captain for two years, and Boston Globe All-Scholastic for one year. He played college volleyball at Bryant University for the men's club team where he made the All-Tournament team three of his four years, and had an undefeated senior year in which Bryant won the league title. Helmas still plays open-level outdoor grass and beach doubles tournaments and his men's club volleyball team won the gold medal at Adult Open National Championships where Helmas was named to the All-Tournament Team.