Boys’ volleyball serves into the court
With spring season starting up, the NPHS boys’ volleyball team is eager to begin playing and winning games and putting their hard work and determination to use.
Tyson Grimes, junior, plays as an outside hitter on the junior varsity team. JV players are working hard and confident in their ability to succeed this season. “We have pretty high goals. We have quite a few older guys so we are hoping to be able to win league and go as far as we can,” Grimes said.
In preparation for games, the players have been putting in effort during practices and working on mental stamina on the court. “New season means new people on each team and it’s important to make sure everyone is comfortable with everyone else’s playing style,” Grimes said. “A lot of volleyball is mental so you kind of just have to take it one play at a time and reset after each point to make sure you don’t get in your own head.”
Houston Hull, sophomore, plays for varsity as a middle blocker. Hull puts in a great deal of effort with his team to ensure best possible performance. “All of us work our hardest which helps us prepare for the best teams,” Hull said. “Usually I try to just think about the people I’m playing against and I think about their weaknesses and their tendencies.”
While players are confident in their abilities, Hull recognizes room for improvement among the varsity team. “I think just our communication and work ethic is something everyone on the team should work on,” Hull said.
Arthur McGregor, sophomore, is a libero on the junior varsity team. During practices, there is a lot to think about to be able to best benefit the team. “Focusing on my job and my position and what I need to do in order to let my teammates be able to do their jobs,” McGregor said. “A good part of volleyball is learning how to work together when a rally gets bad and that connection just takes time playing together.”
McGregor has high hopes for this season, and is confident in his team’s ability to succeed. “We have a pretty strong team this year and I think it is within our skill set to go undefeated. I think we all work hard when we need to, but also love to mess around and have fun,” McGregor said.
Prior to joining the team, McGregor had to think about lots of different aspects to ensure he had a good experience, “Well we have a really great program and a really good coaching staff, and it’s a really good team environment, you get a lot of friends and it makes you feel like you’re in a good group of guys,” McGregor said.
Grimes enjoys many parts of volleyball, but especially loves the energy on the court. “It’s a pretty unique sport because there aren’t many team sports where you get to go back and forth on offense and defense so quickly which makes it really fun. There’s also a type of excitement after a big play that is really awesome,” Grimes said.
