When veteran volleyball coach Glen Conley tells his former players to call if they need anything, he means it.

Mars High School coach Karen Martini will attest to that.

Martini, 33-11 in two years as the Planets' girls volleyball coach, played for Conley from 1990-94 at Edinboro University.

This is the first time Martini has been in charge of the Mars summer volleyball camp and, as she has done before, she called her college coach for advice.

Conley was 195-81 in eight years at Edinboro and has been women's volleyball coach at Army for the past six years.

"I have so much respect for that man," Martini said. "When I first started coaching, I called him for some tips. If I ever have a question or problem, I call him or email him.

"He taught me the entire game, in my eyes."

When she called this time, Conley came running.

The Army coach has been co-directing the Mars volleyball camp with Martini all week.

"He offered to come in and do the camp with me," Martini said. "I was thinking, hey, let's run with it. It's worked out very well."

Conley has 21 years of coaching experience, 18 in college. He hasn't had a losing season since his first year at Edinboro in 1986.

"For a small-school program like ours to be receiving this kind of instruction, … it's special," Martini said.

There are 30 girls in grades nine through 12 and 14 junior high players participating in the camp, which began Monday and runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday at the Mars High School gym.

Besides two girls from North Catholic, all of the campers are in the Mars volleyball program.

Conley has been working with the girls on fundamental drills, defensive work, passing and general technique.

He came to Mars in the middle of recruiting season to work the camp.

"There is no good time for a college coach to do something like this, but I'm getting my work done," Conley said. "I do the camp during the day, make my recruiting calls at night.

"I'd do anything for my players. It's what I coach for. When Karen called, I'd have been here tomorrow if she needed me. Not a week goes by without one of my former players calling me for a reference or some advice. I'm proud of that," he added.

Martini, a Brockway High School graduate who played for Conley's two PSAC championship teams at Edinboro, has guided Mars to the WPIAL playoffs in both of her first two seasons.

"I walked into a pretty good program here," Martini said. "We haven't won a playoff game yet, so that's the next step.

"I'm losing a lot of power hitters from last year, but I have seven juniors coming back. That will be the first group I will have coached all the way through."

Martini is not a teacher at Mars. She is raising three children - ages 11, 7 and 4 - while coaching volleyball.

She is one of four Conley-coached players now involved in coaching. Martini is one of three coaching high school teams while the fourth coaches at North Alabama University, a Division II school.

"One of my former players coaches at Avon Lake (Ohio) and I've done a camp for her for 12 straight years now," Conley said.

He will be returning to Mars to work next year's camp as well.

"I want to make this an annual thing and open it up to three to five schools in the area next year," Martini said.

"Fine by me," Conley said. "If Karen asks me to come, I'll be here."

He said the benefits of working a camp outweigh any negatives.

"Sure, I have to travel, but I just continue to do what I do," Conley said. "These camps are fun and I'm impressed with the talent that's here.

"My assistant coach is scouting at nationals the next couple of days and my recruiting class comes in Sunday for a visit, so I'm pretty busy.

"There's some great athletes in Pennsylvania. Who knows, I may see one of these Mars kids at West Point one day. That possibility and the chance to help out Karen make this trip more than worthwhile for me," he added.