When Brent Lineberger served a golden ring to Beverly Davis in May 1998, the former Athens Drive High baseball standout accepted a reality that he could not pass. Some fall nights would be set aside for watching Apex volleyball. Long days outside for the co-owner of Lineberger's Tree Service would precede nights of Cougars sideouts.

The following autumn, Beverly began her first season as Apex's varsity volleyball coach. But with the onset of winter, the Linebergers, for the first time since their nuptials, are preparing for the holiday season without prep volleyball.

A 20-2 2006 campaign that ended with an Oct. 26 five-game loss to Chapel Hill High in the NCHSAA 4-A Playoffs' third round was Beverly's swan song as the Cougars' coach. The coach's decision to leave was more about quality depth.

See, Team Lineberger has grown twice in the intervening years and, soon, it will be time for mother to watch 5-year-old son Brayden Chase play sports. It is a safe bet to assume that someday, 1-year-old daughter Bella Grace will make a nice addition to somebody's volleyball team.

Brayden and Bella already have proven to be good luck charms. Beverly was expectant during the two seasons (2001 and 2005) that Apex reached the state semifinals -- a program best.

Success, however, was the last of five golden rings that have created a memory forever beyond "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Beverly, who never has been at a loss for words, now only can listen about the virtues that defined her tenure.

Selflessness: In 2001, Beverly, unsure of how maternity would impact her coaching, invited JoAnne Jumonville, her successful predecessor, to serve as an assistant coach.

Just think of how many UCLA men's basketball coaches since John Wooden could not help being uncomfortable with the "Wizard of Westwood" sitting behind the Bruins bench at Pauley Pavilion.

Sisterhood: The Cougars' program unity was evident in something as simple as the varsity and junior varsity teams wearing essentially the same uniforms. "Big sisters" (varsity players) did not fathom asking their "little sisters" (junior varsity players) to wear what could be considered hand-me-downs.

These bonds of sisterhood were sewn before any of Beverly's players arrived on the Laura Duncan Road campus. They already had been enveloped into the program through the annual Middle School Night and summer camps that reaffirmed Apex's standing as a community school.

Service: Beverly never was at a loss for words? Get on her email list -- an indispensable communication tool during those nightmarish times when the Cougar volleyball family was beset by tragedy. In the aftermath of the death of Lisa Wheeler's father, Don, in 2002, and the passing of Lauren Raym earlier this year, Beverly developed and implemented action plans for familial support, for which the players and their parents rallied without hesitation.

Sportsmanship: Minutes after the 2002 Apex team completed a second straight undefeated run through conference regular season and tournament play, Beverly wanted to talk about sportsmanship. The tournament runner-up had left the gymnasium before the awards ceremony. Beverly demanded that if I ever saw one of her teams take such action, I was to call her to task and hold her accountable. That day never came.

Success: Winning, a lot of winning, merely was the by-product of selflessness, sisterhood, service and sportsmanship. As the coach sacrificed for her players, so, too, did they sacrifice in return.

Brayden and Bella could not dream up a more devoted group of "big sisters," whose times with the Lineberger siblings exemplified a continuation of the lessons their coach imparted to her players. Those players did everything in their power to make sure Beverly got home for "tucking in" at bedtime.

And so closes this chapter for Beverly, who will not have the last word. Brent -- who took his wife on a date to the Oct. 28 Chapel Hill vs. Roxboro Person state quarterfinal match -- made sure of that with his tribute to Beverly at the Nov. 13 team banquet.

There, attendees enjoyed the traditional Beverly-produced season DVD, complete with musical accompaniment and laden with images of Brayden and Bella as evidence of full participation in what was nothing short of a family endeavor -- still about a golden ring.

Game by game, a perfect match -- Team Lineberger.