Men's volleyball is the newest addition to North Meck's spring sports. Although it's not an official NCHSAA sport, it's growing in popularity within North Meck. It was a collaborative effort between some seniors and Coach Aaron Rampey to establish a men’s volleyball team at the school. With the help of the coaches, the women’s volleyball team, special guests, and more than twenty practices, the men’s team now enters its first-ever season, which began with a win at Bradford Prep on March 9th.
To get a better perspective on what the men’s volleyball team has to offer, Preston Luong (a senior who plays outside hitter for the team) gives us an inside look.
[The following interview has been edited for clarity.]
What is the culture like within the team?
Preston: I think we have a great culture; we are very supportive of each other, but also harsh [when we need to be]. We try to make each other better and inspire each other every practice. We encourage everyone to show up to practice every day and try their best even when they might not be feeling like it.
What inspired many to create and join the men’s volleyball team here at North?
Preston: Watching the women’s volleyball team inspired many of us, especially me, to start a men’s team. We also wanted to start something that many an had interest in and that was student-led. Finding Coach Rampey has been significant for us as well. He has helped us build a team, a culture, and hopefully a successful season. Volleyball is really easy to get into, especially when have a great coach like Coach Rampey.
Next, we talked to Coach Rampey about the value that men’s volleyball can bring to North Meck and what we can expect from it.
Why is it important for a high school to have a men’s volleyball team?
Rampey: In my experience any community thing that brings people together — especially men, because some aren’t comfortable socializing with others — is great. It’s something I got to experience in high school with basketball, something my son has gotten to experience with ROTC, and something my daughter has gotten to experience on the North Meck women's volleyball team. There have been guys here who hang out all the time but did not meet each other until the first volleyball practice. Yes, being active is very important, but the bonding aspect of volleyball and sports, in general, is very important for high schoolers to experience.
What does the future look like for the sport?
Rampey: Ideally, I would want it to be treated as every other sport in high school, sanctioned by the school and with official state tournaments. Last year there were only 13 schools in North Carolina that had a men’s volleyball team. This year, it’s going to be between 45-50 schools with teams still being formed. If we can get to around 100 schools and if they are NCHSAA we will need to reach a 20% threshold to potentially be state-sponsored. So, if we grow at the rate we are, men’s volleyball will be a state-sponsored sport by 2025.
What can one expect when watching a North Meck men’s volleyball game?
Rampey: I would love to say that we are going to see perfection but without a doubt, we are going to see some mistakes. Every game will have very exciting moments with powerful hits and great saves and overall it will be just fun to watch. Our team will look completely different from now compared to the last game of the season. To any North Meck students who want to come out and watch the men’s volleyball team: all of our home games are free, so you should come to check us out.
Although they started inexperienced, the players dedicated the time needed to learn and hone their skills for the upcoming season. No matter what happens this season, the men’s volleyball team should be proud of how far they have come and strive to become even better every day. Although it's too soon to tell where we stand against the other teams, it’s no secret that we as a team, and the sport as a whole, has a bright future. 🆅