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By George Simonton

Collegiate does almost everything they can to offer something for everyone in our community. That is, everything except one thing: boys volleyball. The two-season sports requirement leaves athletes who specialize in one sport (in my case, tennis) often left pondering how they will obtain their second season. Adding a boys volleyball team would be a perfect solution to this persisting problem. Most local area public schools have both boys and girls volleyball teams. So, that presents a question: Why do we have a girls team and not a boys team? 

One of the main rebuttals as to why we don’t have a boys volleyball team has always been the fact that no other local private schools have a team. But someone has to start something somewhere, and if it is successful, other schools may follow suit. Why can’t Collegiate be that place to spark the change in our community? Most local public schools have thriving boys and girls teams in the fall season, and I see no reason why the demand would not be the same for private schools. 

There has been an explosive growth of boys volleyball in Northern Virginia. The website NOVA Boys Volleyball states that they have seen a 200% increase in the number of teams in the Northern Virginia High School Boys Volleyball League in just the past three years. I would love to see the same in the Richmond area. Additionally, the article outlines the benefits of starting a team and details the ease of access many schools have for a team. It would make sense that Collegiate already has the infrastructure in place to support this team, because of the number of girls volleyball teams across campus. If it is possible to see such a rapid growth in the participation rates there, I believe that it is more than possible here.

Men’s volleyball. Photo credit: 2017 Canada Summer Games.

Another dilemma the Collegiate community in particular may face is the struggle of getting enough players to fill out a team. The vast majority of students already play a fall sport, and the creation of a team might siphon members of the football team to the volleyball team, as well as steal a couple of soccer players.

Basketball players in particular do great in volleyball. There are connections between jumping ability, as well as the size required to play basketball, that would correlate perfectly with volleyball. Some of the varsity basketball players do not play a fall sport, and these would be great athletes to have on the team.

There is also the issue of space between all of the programs, but with the proper planning, this would not be an issue. Girls and boys basketball have five teams in the Upper School between the two, as well as many Middle School Cub teams. Volleyball uses the same amount of space, so it would be more than possible to figure out logistically how to make everything work.

Collegiate senior Nash Craig (‘24) has always enjoyed the game of volleyball. He plays the sport out of school recreationally with friends, and he and I share many of the same ideas when it comes to having a boys volleyball team. Craig said, “I think one thing about Collegiate is that all of the sports are very competitive, and something like volleyball would start everyone at an equal playing field. Volleyball would be a great option for someone who is looking for a sport to stay in shape, or it would be a great way for someone to get their first or second sports credit for those who don’t play two sports.” He also stated that “as someone who has watched a fair share of high school volleyball games, it is one of the most intense and exciting sports to watch and play, and I would love to be able to take part in that.” It would create new athletic opportunities for people throughout the community. 

Another possible response to the question of why we can’t form a team is that it would be simply too difficult to create a whole new sports team without an official league. To this, I would like to provide the example of the Collegiate girls golf team. This team was newly formed last year, even though Collegiate already offers a boys team. Harper Hope (‘24), a member of this team in its inaugural year, said, “Although we were not part of an official league, we still had a quite successful and fun first season as a team.” Even though the team is new and not a member of the LIS (League of Independent Schools), it could still be beneficial for its members. Hope also went on to say that “having a team for just girls, where we didn’t have to compete for a spot on the boys team, gave us many new opportunities.” This same logic can be applied to the creation of a boys volleyball team. It may even have a greater impact, because girls are allowed to play on the boys golf team, while boys are not able to try out for the girls volleyball team. The team would gain traction from plenty of athletes, and I would not be surprised to see players from other sports be willing to give volleyball a try, just like they did for the girls golf team.

Photo credit: Jac Borich via Instagram @borichphotos.

The desire for a team is not limited to just the boys. The girls volleyball team shares these sentiments too. Collegiate girls varsity volleyball co-captain Elizabeth Harman (‘24) stated, “Collegiate girls volleyball has given me a great community, while also allowing me to meet a bunch of girls across a bunch of different grades. It gives Collegiate a bunch of school spirit, and I have loved playing on the team.” I am positive that a boys team could have the same impact. Harman went on to say, “I think we should definitely have a boys team, because if there is interest, and we have a girls team, then why can’t we have a boys team?” Having a boys team would draw many people to the program. This new team would provide an avenue of interest to the volleyball program as a whole, and the two teams would grow in tandem with each other.

This balance and symmetry of the school’s sports offerings would help to foster an environment where everyone in the community feels supported and encouraged to pursue their passions to the best of their ability, and a boys volleyball team could be a valuable contribution.

Featured image credit: 2017 Canada Summer Games.