ADAMS TWP - Since Karen Martini has been on the job, the Mars High School girls volleyball team has not missed the playoffs.

Now, the fourth-year coach has enlisted some help in getting her program to the next level.

Army coach Glen Conley, Martini's former collegiate coach at Edinboro, has been in town during June the past two years to work with the Planet volleyball players.

Last week, Duquesne University women's volleyball coach Steve Opperman and his assistant, Carrie Norris, put on a three-day clinic for the Mars squad at the elementary school.

"We've lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the past three years," Martini said. "We were co-section champs last year. We're looking to make strides forward this year.

"Duquesne was advertising to do some clinics at local high schools, so we took advantage of it."

Mars graduated only two players, Rio Friday and Kelli Hartman, the latter of whom will play at Washington & Jefferson College. Kelli Berry and Lacee Beitler are seniors for Mars this year with hopes of playing in college.

"Those two could play at Division I or II level," Martini said. "I know Glen (Conley) is interested in them both."

Mars had 20 players, mostly freshmen and sophomores, at the three-day clinic with Duquesne's coaches. It had 65 players from North Catholic, Mars, Vincentian and Butler on hand for its June camp.

Opperman and Norris worked high school clinics at Vincentian, North Hills and Karns City before coming to Mars.

"We do three or four of these each summer," Opperman said. "We send information to the schools in the winter to see who's interested.

"We're able to show the kids some different technique, mainly passing-wise and ball control-wise. A lot of high school kids have hitches in their arm swings, things like that. We teach multiple sets to the setters, too.

Martini said she will incorporate some of Duquesne's drills into her system.

"Our freshmen and sophomores will learn how to pass the way they do in college," she said.

Opperman has been coaching volleyball at Duquesne for seven years and was Atlantic 10 Co-Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2004. His team finished 15-16 last year.

Opperman played collegiate volleyball at Ohio State. Norris is a former all-region player at the University of Pittsburgh.

He said the Pittsburgh area has three high-quality summer club volleyball programs: Renaissance, Pittsburgh Elite and Three Rivers. Martini has done some coaching with the Three Rivers program.

"Working with college coaches and the club team, I know so much more now than I did three years ago," she said. "I know more about technique, rotation, how to utilize each one of my players.

"These clinics don't just help the players get better. It helps the coaches get better, too."

Mars won its 12-team summer league championship this year, defeating Pine-Richland and Baldwin in the semifinals and finals.

"Those are two great programs," Martini said. "It shows we're heading in the right direction."