Boys volleyball is a sport foreign to the community since the opening of the high school in 1958. But nationally, interest in male volleyball in high schools has grown widely. Any creation of new clubs must start with student initiative. So, are students to blame for our lack of a team? Or is boys volleyball just a sport that wouldn’t practically fit into Kaneland’s schedule?
Although a formal team has never been established at Kaneland, there have been attempts in the past.
“We actually had students two or three years ago. They had an intramural group that did some volleyball in the spring over at the KMAC gym, but it didn’t really go that far,” Athletic & Activities Director David Rohlman said.
Similarly, head girls varsity volleyball coach Cynthia Violett also has had conversations about the possibility of forming a boys team.
“I had a parent maybe a year ago that asked about it,” Violett said. “I can’t start the team. It has to come from initiative from the kids and the AD’s office. But we have had some interest here and there. We used to have – maybe three or four years ago – a club volleyball team. They would do it during the winter season. I think they only got a few guys here and there, so it didn’t really take off.”
But since these instances from years ago, no other attempts have been brought to the administration. That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost, however.
“I think there is enough interest,” senior Ryan Kuchar said. “I think there are a lot of people who are interested in [boys volleyball] that most people don’t know about. I won’t be able to [play] now that I’m a senior, but if there was [a team] I would. Anyone who plays in the powderbuff game I think would play boys volleyball.”
Kuchar isn’t alone. According to a study done by the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of boys playing high school volleyball has jumped by 56% in the last 10 years. If student interest was the only factor going into it, boys volleyball would probably be available at Kaneland by now.
“Our biggest challenge would be that we do not have the gym space for it right now,” Rohlman said. “In the spring without a fieldhouse, all of our teams are practicing using all the inside facilities. And typically they have to share facilities as is. We often rent facilities outside [the district], like in Yorkville and DeKalb. It’s all weather dependent. If we were in a different climate and we knew that soccer and baseball and softball are outside all the time, then we wouldn’t have this issue.”
Indoor facilities will stay limited for the time being, though a referendum might help. A new sports team would also lead to other expenses. Money for uniforms and equipment would need to come out of an already limited Kaneland athletic budget.
“We haven’t increased the athletic budget at all,” Rohlman added. “So that’s another concern. We have added in the last six years girls golf, boys tennis, boys bowling and now lacrosse is fully in. Where do we pay for it? It’s not horrendously expensive, but there is still quite a bit of cost to it.”
