According to a survey conducted by The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), “There were 24 states with 2,472 schools that had a boys volleyball team during the 2017-18 school year.” That means that there were 26 other states that didn’t feature a boys volleyball team just six years ago, a majority.
However, that’s not to say that the sport isn’t on the rise; according to Sportico, “Boys high school volleyball numbers have increased by 40% since 2017, making it the fastest growing high school sport in the country.”
Even with the growth shown by boys volleyball programs, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done regarding the implementation of the sport at a high-school level. With that being said, what has Arvada West done to build a successful boys volleyball program, and unite the community around it?
Jadyn Goins, Outside Hitter/Setter, Level Three:
Jadyn Goins shares, “I’ve seen a lot of support, especially that first game, where I felt like there were a lot of people there and a lot of people cheering us on.”
While he understands the struggles of building a program from the ground up, he also has seen plenty of growth, stating that “we’re building our roots, and sooner or later we’ll be a big program.”
Goins is also extremely grateful for the opportunities he has been provided. He explains that “we are the only team in our division that has an L3 team; our L3 team is playing other divisions right now, so the fact that we all have playing time, we all have practice times, we always have a net, we always have everything needed to go.”
He adds, ”Everything has been pretty much as good as you can get for a first year program.”
As Goins looks to the future of the program, he states, “The way our varsity is set up, I think state is a possibility, and I’m excited for the future of the program. Boys volleyball is a big new thing, just like girls flag football, and I’m excited that it’s growing so rapidly.”
Gareth Page-Roth, Right Side Hitter/Defensive Specialist, Varsity:
Gareth Page-Roth had a welcome shock when arriving at Arvada West Boys Volleyball tryouts, explaining, “I was surprised at how many new people came to tryouts for the program, and the new boys on JV and L3 will definitely help the program to keep growing.”
Since then, he has had little complaints, sharing, “For the most part we have a great schedule and gym availability,” while adding, “it would be great to raise more money so we can get more specialized equipment such as a serving machine and setting/passing nets which can be used by both the boys and girls teams.”
Page-Roth states, “I hope to see new people join the program, and I’m excited to see freshmen come into a high school where boys volleyball is a promoted sport which has a lot of potential and influence on the school.”
He shares that, “Boys volleyball has always been something that has been in the background of athletics,” while thinking ahead and stating, “it would be great to see A-West come out as a formidable program for years to come.”
Anden Draper, Librero, Varsity:
Anden Draper describes how “a lot of support for being a first year sport at A-West” has helped to power boys volleyball into the mainframe.
He also recognizes the girls volleyball team and their support, talking about their roles and explaining that “A lot of the girls are being very active and coming to the games as well as being team managers for us.”
Although Draper will take his journey one step at a time, he still has goals for the future, stating that he “hopes to see the boys program expand and grow throughout the coming years” as the sport continues to grow due to the players, coaches, students, and administration who are working hard to get the program off the ground
The boys volleyball program may not be at its peak yet, but if the player’s hopes and goals are any sign of what’s to come, the possibilities are endless for Arvada West’s newest sports program.
