When the Wayland High boys’ volleyball squad plays, it’s a bit tough at first to pick out coach Rod Fletcher. In his seventh — and now final — year of coaching, he’s dressed casually, from a pair of brown top-siders to plaid shorts to a long-sleeved shirt reading “Wayland Volleyball” that he throws on moments before the game.
To say that he’s not one for histrionics would be putting it mildly.
As a game proceeds, he’s so quiet and even-keeled that it’s difficult to determine merely from watching him how his team is doing.
But they did quite well, thank you, all the way to the state final on Thursday, a 27-25, 25-22, 25-21 loss to Westfield.
Despite the outcome, it was an unforgettable season for Wayland, made all the more so for Fletcher because one of the athletes, playing his last season before graduation, was his son Jack, who he coached for four years.
“It’s like a classic dream come true,” the elder Fletcher said. “This is really, really sweet, and the fact that I get to do it with my son Jack, who is a great kid and a wonderful volleyball player, makes it especially sweet.”
Rod Fletcher was an outstanding player himself back in college, playing four years at Stanford University, and in the seven years he’s been at its helm, the Wayland program has undergone a transformation. In his first season, it was largely comprised of inexperienced players. The team won just one game in 2010.
During Fletcher’s tenure, though, Wayland made the state tournament four times. And while the victories have been gratifying, those around the team have been equally impressed by the player-coach, father-son balance established by the pair.
“He and I figured it out a long time ago,” said Rod Fletcher. “And I figured out coaching with my kids that less is more. As long as they’re playing the game, any game, for the enjoyment of the sport, that’s enough, and I chip in a little bit of advice along the way.”
“On the court we just try to keep it coach and player,’’ said his son. “Obviously we have a stronger relationship, but I think we just try to respect our roles, and just try to play volleyball.”
Watching the Wayland boys play is a unique experience. In a sport so heavily reliant on chemistry, they clearly have a system down, in part because of a longstanding relationship with the coach. Fletcher has coached many of them in youth sports since they were in the third grade, be it volleyball, basketball, or soccer. Five members of the current volleyball squad, in fact, were on the school’s title-winning soccer team coached by David Gavron.
“It totally feels like a family,’’ said senior Cam Gordon. “We’ve bonded really well. We go to Chili’s before every game, and we’ve become a cohesive unit.
“He just wants us to have great chemistry,’’ said Jack Fletcher of his father. “He’s done a lot to give us the right tools to play, and we go from there.”
With Fletcher moving on, assistant coach Phil George will take the reins, and he’ll do so appreciative of the lesson in coaching he’s received along the way.
“Rod does a fantastic job of striking the balance between the kids being disciplined and enjoying themselves,” said George. “He’s got that mentality that sports are supposed to be fun, and we need to be having a good time even while we are working hard. And I really admire that in him and I’ve really appreciated learning that from him.”
By all accounts, Rod Fletcher’s mellow disposition has boosted his team’s success. For players, knowing they won’t be criticized for one error allows them to learn and move on quickly from mistakes. Fletcher’s calm mood created a relaxed vibe in huddles and on the court, even in high-intensity games.
For George, that ability to keep emotions tempered extends beyond just volleyball.
“He absolutely sets the tone for the rest of the team,” George said. “He’s very mild-mannered, he’s very thoughtful, he doesn’t ride his emotions very dramatically, and the kids see that and mirror that. It’s both a great lesson for volleyball and for life, that they take the highs and the lows with equanimity.”
That mild-mannered way of playing the game has rubbed off on Jack. Clearly one of the best players on the court, Jack has a relatively quiet way about him as well. Though certainly willing to show excitement as the game warrants it, his expression, much like his father’s, seldom changes until after the final point is scored.
“You can see so much of Rod in Jack, that kind of balance, that kind of calm,” said George. “But not only does he pass his emotional disposition down to his son, but his volleyball skills as well.”
Logan Mullen can be reached at logan.mullen@globe.com.