Waterford — Her 31st season began Tuesday night, 31 years of no cell phones on bus rides, 31 years of no Dunkin’ before practice, 31 years of honesty, 31 years of teaching, 31 years of trying to find brown clothes to match the hue of Stonington High, 31 years of morals, manners and mores.

Straight up: If we did the Rushmore thing for role models here in our corner of the world, Paulla Solar gets the first face. This is what happens when you cannot and will not allow the decay in societal principles to reshape yours.

“I have never experienced a coach who has been able to stick to her philosophy as well as she has,” Solar’s daughter (and former assistant coach) Tiffany Solar MacCall said. “Even as the world changes, my mother holds true to her beliefs on how her kids should represent her team. It has always amazed me how she can get the best out of all her players and challenge them to go beyond their comfort level and improve.

“I don't think she realizes the uniqueness of her coaching. I’m sure it’s hard to find people like her anymore. But it shows her resilience and her strength to keep moving along with her beliefs, even if they are ‘old school.’”

The term “old school” isn’t a pejorative, but may be construed that way here in the roaring 2000s. It’s hard to be “old school,” otherwise known as tough, demanding, fair and determined, in a society where “yeah, but” is allowed all too frequently.

Solar even admitted Tuesday that “old school” is getting more difficult.

“Numbers seem to be down in girls’ basketball and you have to treat kids in a way where they want to stay in the program,” she said. “So there's a hard balance. There are a lot more distractions. There are schools of choice. And basketball is a tough sell because it’s three months and games at night. You hope the kids get what they need to get.”

Solar’s resume glows. A recent finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches' Association national coach of the year award, based on her longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship seasons and winning percentage. A member of the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame with 441 wins, two state championships and numerous titles within the Eastern Connecticut Conference.

But that doesn’t tell you who she really is.

“What did I learn from her? Everything,” Waterford coach Kaitlyn Sullivan said, alluding to her time as Solar’s assistant at Stonington. “She's the best teacher you could ask for. Even though we compete against each other now, I can still call her to run things by her. A great friend to have.”

Solar nearly began the season Tuesday night in Waterford seated on the bench. Note the word “nearly.” She relinquished her seat to her assistant coach (and brother) Ed Kolnaski.

“I’ve done this a million times,” Solar said. “You’d think I’d be able to sit. I can’t.”

And so she coached the game walking and pacing, pacing and walking. She still reacts to miss free throws with a sigh that could blow up an inner tube.

“I still have the same passion, the same energy,” Solar said. “It can be frustrating at times. But I just want the kids to work really hard.”

That line conjures the night in the Heather Buck era when Solar played five players the entire game during a victory over Norwich Free Academy, which was dominating the league at the time. An enterprising reporter asked Jacquie Fernandes, a guard on that team, whether she was tired after 32 hard minutes and no substitutes.

“Have you ever been to one of our practices?” she said. “This was nothing.”

And now 31 years later, Paulla Solar’s fastball is as commanding as ever.

“The fact that my son (Solar’s 9-year old grandson) calls the SHS gym ‘Gammy’s gym’ is a good place to start,” Solar MacCall said. “She has to schedule breakfast, lunch and dinner dates all year with former players. When they come into town, she’s one of the people they want to catch up with. Once they leave, they realize the impact she’s made on them.

“I barely talk to her during the season because I know she’s so committed to making her team the best it can be. My sisters and I have come to understand her and know this is how she is.”

And happily, she’s not going to change. High school sports are better with Paulla Solar coaching the kids. Wish we had more Paullas to share.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro