Setting a new standard, mens club volleyball team sets the tone for future seasons, with the inclusion of mens volleyball to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).
“We want to make the big hit, we want to get the big blocks, we want those things. It’s what gets us going about this sport,” senior middle blocker Kenneth Wright said.
On Monday, March 10 coach Christina Shkulaku held the first mens volleyball tryout in school history, bringing in students from all different sports backgrounds. Whether it’s Wright’s history with football or senior outside hitter Marko Trpchevski’s basketball knowledge, the team has no shortage of athleticism. Where they lack, however, is volleyball experience and knowledge.
“Half of our team has never played volleyball before, so we all have to learn from the basics, which takes time away from our practice,” Trpchevski said.
As the season continues, the team pushes past the fundamentals and focuses more on rotations and passing. While this is the first mens volleyball team for the school, other districts, such as Dakota, Avondale and Rochester, formed teams years ago.
“We work hard in practice even though we are less experienced than all the other teams. It’s easy to tell that they are more organized than us, but we are still trying to get to that level,” senior outside hitter Grant Trembour said.
The team earned their first win on April 17 against Avondale, winning two out of three sets. Previously, Avondale beat them in their first practice game, so the win was significant for the team.
“They were our first ever game and then we beat them most recently, so I think that was my favorite memory because that shows that we’ve gotten better,” Wright said.
Heading into the latter half of the season, the team’s central focus: prepare for the state playoffs. Their first playoff game will take place on Saturday, May 18, at home against Dakota.
“It’s just very special,” senior blocker Maddox Moore said. “It’s a very cool thing for us, representing our school in volleyball for the first time and beating teams that have been playing for years.”
