|
Men’s club volleyball team closes regular season, looks forward to opportunities |
|
|
|
Thursday, 10 April 2008 |
 | Grove
|
by ASHLEY DAVIS
Sports Reporter
Since the men’s club volleyball season has closed, one might picture the players packing away all of their gear and thinking solely of exams and schoolwork.
However, like most dedicated athletes, volleyball is anything but over for many of the players on Appalachian State University’s team.
With
five of the team’s six starters graduating, it has become more crucial
that the remaining team members continue honing their skills in the off
season.
Freshman Brice G. Poston and Charles M. Buzogany are currently gaining experience in the coaching
realm of the sport.
Poston will coach the Appalachian women’s club volleyball team at the NIRSA Club National
Championships April 10-12. Meanwhile, Buzogany has been serving as a volunteer coach with the
Appalachian women’s varsity team.
“This is actually my second year assisting or coaching women’s volleyball,” Poston said. “I started
playing beach volleyball my sophomore year in high school and basically taught myself the game.”
Poston began helping his high school’s women’s volleyball team, which led to his work with the
Appalachian club team.
“My role as their coach is to have another set of eyes, but mine are off the court,” Poston said. “I see
things the girls can’t possibly point out on the court, give suggestions, and show the girls new
drills...but they run their own practice.”
Poston will take the position of team president next fall as current president David S. Grove will be
preparing to graduate.
Grove, a senior psychology major, has set an example for the team to not be restricted to indoor
volleyball.
Over the past four years, Grove and four to five other team members have traveled as far as Maryland
and Delaware to compete in outdoor competitions on both sand and grass.
“We go to about five beach or other outdoor competitions during the school year,” Grove said. “During
the summer it’s wide open though. Any time we hear about any kind of volleyball club or camp during
the summer, we tell them they should try to attend it - anytime they can touch a volleyball really.”
This past season the men’s team finished second in the EIVA Southern Conference.
Injuries plagued key players throughout the season, making tournaments more difficult and not
adequately reflecting the actual talent on the team, Grove said.
“We have a pretty large turnover, so we have to start from scratch almost every year,” Grove said. “In
this region, guys that play volleyball seem to be harder to come by, so typically those that have
experience come to find us. We just always want to be as competitive as possible, while still focusing
on enhancing players’ skill levels.”
This summer, Poston, a Wilmington native, plans on traveling the country competing in doubles
tournaments with friends.
“We are looking to play in Virginia and Florida, as well as playing at a few AVP stops this year,” Poston
said. “Another thing I’m doing is heading up with a few of the guys on the club team here and playing in
Delaware.”
As far as next season goes, attendance is a concern, Poston said.
Buzogany, who will act as the team’s vice president next season, took over team practices after
Christmas break with Poston.
“As far as next year goes I’m depending on a lot of response from new incoming freshmen and in my
opinion, freshmen carried the team this year,” Poston said.
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments