Brett Poirier was 18 years old and playing volleyball on a sand court near his home in Essexville, Mich., when a stranger approached with a question.

“Would you like to play in a league?” the gentleman asked.

The “league” was the Midwest Professional Volleyball Association and Poirier was unsure.

The 6-foot-6 Poirier was a basketball player and a gifted one.

He had only played volleyball in gym class at Essexville Garber High School and was about as raw as raw could be spiking, setting and serving.

“I was like, 'I don't know,'” Poirier said. “I'd hit one down and the next one would go 10 feet out of bounds. I had no control because no one had ever taught me.”

But Poirier, now in his second year as the Seneca Valley girls volleyball coach, decided to give it a shot.

Two years later he was one of the best players in the MPVA and toured the Midwest for nine years playing professional sand volleyball.

“When I was 20 years old and I didn't want to pick up a basketball anymore, I knew,” Poirier said. “I picked up a volleyball and it came fast. I really loved it and I was good at it at a young age. This was what I wanted to do because I was better than most.”

That fateful meeting on the sand volleyball court at 18 has led to a lifetime spent in the sport for Poirier, 49.

“That guy took a chance,” Poirier said. “A lot of players where I came from were basketball players. They could jump high and were athletic. They trained us into volleyball players.

“It was a lot of travel,” Poirier added. “It was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of places.”

After his professional career wrapped up, Poirier continued to play in adult men's leagues until he was 45.

That's when he decided to focus solely on coaching.

“I tried to play as long as I possibly could because I knew I could always coach,” Poirier said. “Now I'm pretty much coaching and enjoying coaching.”

While Poirier was playing professionally, he worked for Coca-Cola and Frito-Lay. He also worked as a volleyball referee while living in Fort Wayne, Ind.

I did 2,100 matches while I was still playing, traveling and working,” Poirier said.

When he and his family moved to the Cranberry Township/Evans City area in 2011, his daughters — Madeline and Tatum — were in junior high.

A few years later, Poirier began coaching in the district.

He served as an assistant coach under Karen Martini for most of that time, taking over last year when Martini took a leave after ankle surgery.

Martini made that leave permanent this offseason.

Poirier and Martini also started a boys club team, Steel City Volleyball, together.

For Poirier, who also filled in for it's volleyball 365 days a year.

“The girls start in the summer and they get done in November,” Poirier said. “And then it's on to boys club season and that goes into boys high school season and then it's back into summer.”

Seneca Valley senior Sarah White has played for Poirier since the seventh grade.

“(He's) an amazing coach,” White said. “He knows volleyball and how to get the most out of his players. He's the kind of coach you want to work hard for and your best.”