Serving Up Boys Volleyball

In Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, boys’ Volleyball teams are a big part of the sports season. Those states all offer volleyball as a sanctioned sport in high schools. Scott Flood would like to see his sport as well respected here in Kentucky as it is across the river.
    Flood is a volleyball director for Club ELE at Basketball Academy and the JV volleyball coach at Trinity High School. “Up in Indiana, all the high schools have sanctioned boys’ volleyball and they have their own state tournament. It’s pretty neat. I would love to get that here.”
    Flood grew his boys’ division of Club ELE volleyball from the single boys club team he coached for three years into a three-team club this year. “It’s picked up a little steam. We’re getting more kids. Finally they’re starting to want to play a little more.”
    But he wants even more. Flood is hoping to have six or seven teams next year. To accomplish that goal, he’s going to have to get a lot of boys to give the sport a try. “Usually once I get them on the court I get them. They realize how fun it is.”
    Flood hopes boys will take the opportunity to try their serves and sets by participating in the Sunday evening open gyms he offers at Basketball Academy during the summer. Tryouts for Club ELE take place in late October or early November.
    To cultivate the younger players, Flood is planning summer camps for boys in first through fourth grades, starting with Oldham and Shelby county schools. “We’ve got to get the public schools involved. I want to start them young.” That, in turn, will evolve into more high school players and teams down the road.
    Two local high schools have volleyball teams for boys—Trinity and St. Xavier, and there are only two other teams out in the state. To boost their season, the local teams have resorted to bringing in teams such as Cathedral from Indianapolis and elsewhere.
    The Trinity volleyball team has produced some quality players. Trinity graduates Todd Chamberlain and Patrick Durbin play on the volleyball team at Ball State in Indiana, which is currently ranked 7th in the nation.
    Flood’s son, Chris Flood, a sophomore at Trinity, plays on the 17 and under Club ELE team as well as Trinity’s JV volleyball team. He says if boys will just try the sport, they’ll like it.
    “They think it’s a feminine sport. It’s not a girls’ sport,” says Chris. “They’ve just got to get out there and play first. Once you get out here, you’ll really start to like it. It’s pretty much addicting.”
    Scott agrees that overcoming the idea that volleyball is a girls’ sport can be a big hurdle, but says that volleyball does have some particular advantages over other sports. For one thing, it’s a year-round sport, played outdoors in the summer and indoors in the winter. Another draw, says Scott, is the boys get to hang out with the girls who play, not to mention the college scholarships that are available.
    “Men’s volleyball in college is really putting out the money for these kids for scholarships,” says Scott. “In the ELE program we have several kids who will play college volleyball. It’s pretty exciting for them.”
    Parker Payne, also a member of the 17 and under ELE team, has played for the St. Xavier volleyball team, but is focusing on power lifting this season. He still plays for the club team since it doesn’t conflict with his power lifting practices. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s a great way to work out in the off season,” he says.