Working hand in hand, Coach Nastri and Coach Boll have built a volleyball program that’s not only competitive but also connected. Coach Nastri, who coaches girls’ varsity volleyball, middle school girls’ volleyball and varsity softball, has been part of the North High community for years. Coach Boll, who coaches junior varsity volleyball and basketball, is new to the school but has quickly made her mark, following in Coach Nastri’s footsteps.

Both teachers also work in the special education department, helping students reach their goals in the classroom just as they do on the court. Coach Boll also co-teaches math, blending her love for teaching with her talent for numbers. Coach Nastri grew up as a student at Oyster Bay High School, where she was active in almost everything: sports, music and student government. She played volleyball, softball and basketball, and served as vice president of her class all four years.

But her journey wasn’t always easy. Basketball was her favorite sport growing up, but after a tough experience with a coach, she decided to quit.

To keep herself busy, she took her middle school coach’s advice and began volunteering with the middle school volleyball program. That decision changed everything. She began developing a stronger love for volleyball and softball, eventually making them her main sports. She realized how much she loved helping younger athletes grow.

After high school, she attended SUNY Cortland, majoring in speech pathology, and joined the Honors Program on a Presidential Scholarship. She stayed active in co-ed rec leagues like ultimate frisbee and broomball. She went on to earn her master’s in speech pathology at Adelphi University, all while working full-time as a teaching assistant at the Center for Developmental Disabilities. It was there that she found her passion for helping others communicate.

“I knew I wanted to be in a field where I could help people,” Coach Nastri said “I worked one-on-one with a severely autistic child who was a very behavioral and nonverbal student. At that point, I just knew I wanted to stay in this field.”

Coach Nastri credits many of her own teachers and coaches for inspiring her. She remembers her second-grade teacher, Mr. DiMuzio, and her eighth-grade teacher, Mr. A, as people who truly cared about their students.

“What I remembered was nothing I actually learned, but how much they cared so deeply about their students,” Coach Nastri said. “Mr. A. even gave every one of his students a nickname; mine was Shrub.”

When asked about her favorite coaching memory, she doesn’t just talk about wins or big games.

“Honestly, it’s the drive to the first day of preseason,” Coach Nastri said.“Windows down, music playing, the sun’s out and everyone’s happy to be here. It’s just the best feeling.”

On a similar path, Coach Boll graduated from Kellenberg Memorial High School, where she was a three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. Coming from a small middle school with only 60 students in her grade, she was thrilled to meet so many new people in her high school with around 500 students in her class.

“Playing three sports taught me so much about time management and balance,” Coach Boll said. “It’s something I still use in my day-to-day life.”

Outside of school, she was just as active: she did tap dance for 15 years and kickline for five. At graduation, she was recognized with the Most Outstanding Student Athlete Award for her dedication on and off the field.

She went on to LIU Post, where she earned her bachelor’s in secondary education, with a concentration in mathematics, and her master’s in special education. Meanwhile, she played Division I lacrosse for five years. When COVID-19 canceled her junior season, she got an extra year of eligibility to play while completing her master’s degree.

Coming from a family of teachers, it’s no surprise she wanted to follow that path. She got her start as a teaching assistant at the Rosemary Kennedy School, which serves students with intensive special needs.

“I absolutely loved it,” she said. “That experience made me certain that teaching was how I wanted to spend my future.”

Her love for math was inspired by her high school teacher, Ms. Proseco.

“She was real, fair and respected kids who worked hard,” Boll said. “I actually started to enjoy math because it felt cool to be good at it.”

One of her favorite coaching memories came during her first year leading JV basketball.

“When Maddy Mashieh hit a half-court shot against Sewanhaka, the whole team stormed the court,” Coach Boll said. “Even though we lost the game, the moment was pure joy. It reminded me why I love coaching.”

Today, Coach Nastri and Coach Boll share a strong bond that extends far beyond volleyball.

“The two of us rely on each other in so many ways,” said Coach Boll. “Not only for coaching and teaching support, but also for advice about life outside the classroom and court.”

“Coach Boll’s energy and approach remind me a lot of myself,” said Coach Nastri. “She’s like my mini me.”

That connection carries over to their teams too. The volleyball program pairs varsity players with JV players as “big sisters” and “little sisters.” Naturally, Coach Nastri is the big sister, and Coach Boll is the little sister: a perfect representation of how they work together.

Off the court, both coaches have fun sides that their players love to hear about. Coach Nastri once rode an elephant and climbed a waterfall in Bali, all in the same day. Coach Boll was an 11-pound baby, a fact she laughs about whenever it comes up.

For both coaches, volleyball is much more than a sport.

”It’s a family,” said Coach Nastri. “It’s about the connections we make, the memories we build and the way we lift each other.”