ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Mike Dedee didn't need to look far to find his biggest coaching influence.
While growing up in East Irondequoit, Dedee's father, Harry, played and managed teams in the Xerox softball league five nights a week. Young Mike was on the bench almost every night, keeping score and learning the game.
As Mike grew older, Harry became his coach, and continued to model the values of respect and fair play for his son and his teammates. This came in quite handy for Mike when he became a father and his sons began to play sports. Naturally, Mike raised his hand to volunteer and after coaching baseball and basketball at the youth levels, Dedee started coaching volleyball with Rochester Pace Bootlegger program that he once played for. Dedee later added the responsibilities of junior varsity coach at Webster Schroeder High School and was hired as Roberts Wesleyan University's first men's volleyball coach in May.
Dedee hit the ground running trying to build the Redhawks' roster and finalize the schedule for Roberts' inaugural season.
Dedee, who still coaches in the Pace program, played volleyball and tennis at Bishop Kearney High School before moving on to become a standout at Genesee Community College in Batavia. Dedee played for Division I University of California at Irvine, where he earned a degree in psychology. He earned his Master's from the University of California, Long Beach and spent many years in the social work field.
Dedee, who is also a professional magician, lives in Webster with his wife, Tracey. They have two sons, Michael and Matthew.
Dedee recently took some time to share details on his path to Roberts. His answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
How did you get started in volleyball?
"I tried out for the Bishop Kearney High School basketball team and made it to the final cuts my freshman year. I got cut on a Saturday and as I was exiting the gym there was a sign on the door that said, 'volleyball tryouts on Sunday.' I was like, 'I don't know what volleyball is, but I am athletic and I want to play sports,' so I came back on Sunday, tried out and I made the team. I was very short and not very skilled in volleyball, but I was happy that I made the team. I sat my entire freshman year but I was very enthusiastic … and then started playing more the next year and worked my way into a starting role toward the end of my sophomore year."
What did you like about volleyball once you started playing it?
"It was very active and there was a lot going on. I loved being part of a team and a team sport and there are a lot of different aspects of the game to try and learn, so I was very excited about that. I like being that person in a role of supporting and I had found my way to a setter role and I liked setting. When I put the ball up into the air and somebody put it down, that was fun for me. As I really studied and learned more about the game and realized the importance of running the floor as a setter, that was very appealing to me as well because there was a lot of strategy involved in that. Nowadays, I like to say that 'anybody can set, but only certain people can be a setter,' because there are a lot of nuances to setting. It was a fast, action-packed game and I enjoyed that."
What made the opportunity to coach at Roberts so appealing to you?
"There are two things. One is the coaching aspect and taking this sport to the next level in my field because I have coached at high school and club levels and also played at various levels. I have been very blessed in that way and I think that I bring a lot to the table regarding volleyball. … There are, or were, various other coaching positions posted out there, but the appeal for Roberts is that I just fell in love with it immediately. (Executive Director of Athletics) Bob Segave was great from the beginning in terms of his welcoming nature and excitement for the inaugural season and this opportunity and the passion for the culture here and the values at Roberts really just connect very much with my philosophies in life and my beliefs. When I came on campus to interview, the atmosphere here and the community were great. I was sold."
What characteristics do you look for in potential student-athletes?
"We look for people whose characteristics match those that are expected at Roberts, they match the values, they understand the responsibility of being a student-athlete, they understand the importance of teamwork and community partnership. I am not looking for the superstar athlete who is all about 'how many kills can I get and please set me the ball' and is very narrow focused. Win or lose, we will work very hard and give everything that we have on the court as an entire team. Everything that we do is going to be together as a team – when we warm up, when we enter the gym and when we stretch, it's all team focused. … It's really that support and connectedness that I want us to strive for. I am looking for characteristics that will translate to things that they do later in life … values like trust and respect and honesty."
How did you get interested in becoming a magician?
"I was at an alumni event at Cal State, Long Beach and I saw a magician perform an effect and I was just blown away. So, I went up to him afterwards and said, 'Thank you so much, that was great, how did you do this one effect?' He said, 'I can't tell you that.' He could tell that I was very interested, so he said, 'Why don't you come out to my shop sometime.' So, I drove a half-hour out to his shop, spent the entire day there and bought that one effect and was just totally excited. Unbeknownst to me, my wife, Tracey, signed both of us up for a beginner course in magic. So, we always joke that my becoming a magician is her fault. We both took the course, but I stuck with it after that and started meeting with the instructor, who became my mentor, and every Friday for years afterwards we would go to a donut shop with a line of magicians. … (My mentor) took me under his wing, he had me perform with him at large events and then I auditioned at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, and I am currently a member there. I was hooked on magic from that point on. Hook, line and sinker, I loved it. I truly enjoy entertaining and have others be happy and enjoying life. My wife stopped doing it after the course but has been a tremendous supporter of mine and a lot of times we will be at an event and she will say 'you should do something for this group' and even though she has seen the effect over and over again, she still enjoys it because it is different due to the people's reaction."
What is your go-to effect?
"There are a couple of card effects that I love to do a lot, but one is having a signed card appear on the ceiling. If you have ever been to Sticky Lips in the city of Rochester when it was there, those cards on the ceiling were from me."
What's next for you and the men's volleyball program?
"I am very excited about school starting and getting on the court with these guys. … I can sense that they are getting excited and it is becoming more and more real. I am excited to get into the gym and see what we have. We have an ambitious schedule and I very much want to do everything that I can to help these guys be successful and to feel good about the season. I just can't wait."
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