BY GABRIEL MARTINEZ-AMEZAGA October 5 2021
The Croton Harmon High School Volleyball Club has officially started this year and has become one of the only outlets for male volleyball players from CHHS. Founded through sheer perseverance and determination by captain Gabriel Martinez-Amezaga, the club provides a year-round outlet for the sport inside school. The club also looks forward to future events such as a match against the girls’ varsity volleyball team. We meet every Tuesday in the PVC third floor gym, and we are open to anybody who has an interest in the sport and a little competition inside of them.
The club strives to be competitive, but that should not discourage newcomers, as long as you have a genuine interest in volleyball. Marcos Goni, middle blocker and longtime member of the club, stated that “the Volleyball club is new, but we set high goals and practice to reach those goals. Gabriel and Sam, our captain and vice captain [respectively], are great at teaching players -- whether it’s basics or more advanced stuff, they know more than anyone here.” Marcos then went on to emphasize how “overall, it's a great experience, and it’s always fun to play and to be there.” The club may set high standards, but in the end, we want to play true volleyball and enjoy ourselves while doing so.
The club follows a practice format in anticipation of matches. Practice may sound like a bore, but the way the club practices is truly different from other sports and unique. The captain of the club, Gabriel Martinez-Amezaga states, “I truly try to maximize the amount of fun players while making sure everybody improves. I want to spread that feeling and make sure everybody enjoys the sport when they play.” The club emphasizes a positive mindset as well. The captain added that, “I try not to dwell on mistakes. I like to use them as learning tools and move on from them so that people can develop.” Overall, the club wants to stand out as a sport and wants to make sure each of their players is happy.
Volleyball club meets every Tuesday at the PVC 3rd floor gym from 3:00-4:30.