The irregular friction brings about the squeaks of the floor, with explosive and unmatched energy. Wearing blue and sporting the Centurion name, the UC High Boys Indoor Volleyball Team plays on the court once again. Years of developing chemistry will pay off this season for the seniors and benefit the incoming freshman, expected to carry that torch and vibrance of the team to succeed.
“It feels great to be coaching again. I had open heart surgery in August to repair an abnormal valve I was born with and everything went well. I feel almost a hundred percent at this point,” said Coach Aaron Hartin.
With the incoming freshman and graduated seniors, every season is met with questions about where the team will go. Hartin addressed this: “We lost two seniors last year who were both starters and all-League players [top players of the Western League]. I thought we would not be as strong as we were last year because of the loss of those players, but the returning players have improved and are keeping us at the same level as last year.”
“[Senior] Zion Granatowicz is our starting setter and our captain. He has done all the setting for the team for the last two years. He is a dynamic player, very exciting to watch, and an excellent leader,” said Hartin. “I’m pretty confident. We have a solid team and we have more experience than we’ve had in the past few years.”
Most of the Volleyball Team have been around each other for seasons already, creating a greater bond and team chemistry both on and off the court. “I think I’m playing the best I’ve played all four years of high school. Overall, our team is as strong as it was last year, maybe we just have to figure some things out because of new players,” said Granatowicz.
This year’s Senior Class is a special one, very talented on the court but also mature and cooperative team players who always support their teammates. “I feel pretty confident [about the season]. We have a strong team and should be able to put up a good fight against the other teams in our League,” said Panigada.
“The team we have now has a lot of chemistry…. We mess around a lot but we work really well together and when we mess up, we usually get back on our feet,” said Magpali. He added, “I think I’m a lot more fluid with the stuff I do, especially with the team. It is more natural instead of force, so I feel it’s a lot better.”
“We have a Freshman Sensation this year. Kai Selleck is the starting libero on this year’s Varsity Team and he is playing at a very high level,” said Hartin. “I’m feeling pretty confident in our team, and I’m really excited because we are going to be playing against some pretty tough teams,” said Selleck. A libero is a defensive specialist who does not serve or rotate, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (ncaa.com)
As a new player to the team, Selleck sees the team chemistry as strong: “Most of the team has been playing together for a while now. Even for a few months before the season, I have been playing for fun with some of the team at open gyms and I think everyone gets along great.”
“My goal as a coach is to help young people become the strongest and healthiest versions of themselves. We all want to win, but the development of young people is really the most important thing. Young people who play team sports have all kinds of advantages as adults and I enjoy being a part of that,” said Hartin.
The coach also cites Sophomore Jonan Merle as an up-and-coming player and sees him performing at an even higher level in the coming years. “I think I’m a very well-rounded player but I would say that my offensive playing is better,” said Merle.
“Coaching is challenging; It can be difficult and overwhelming at times but it is also so fun and rewarding. I hope that the seniors have their best season yet, and I hope all the players have a great experience,” said Hartin.