By Tamsin Hurlbut

   Bump! Set! Spike! This year, a few boys turned this classic play into a team mantra when they formed TPA’s new boys’ volleyball team. 

   Sophomores Joshua Hackett, Tate Foudy, and junior Connor Clark came up with the idea for team this year. It came to them played pickup volleyball during the 2020 quarantine. “We started playing, and we really enjoyed the game,” says Connor. They are grateful to Mr. Seagrave, who Connor says is “the GOAT” (or the greatest of all time) for helping them create the team for the spring season. “We started something that might last a decade, maybe more,” Tate says. 

   They will be playing some pretty difficult teams this year, but Tate says they will “push through it.” Coach Natalie Rockwell, who coached the girls’ Varsity volleyball team and led them to the Division 1A State tournament, will be coaching the boys this year. The boys met her when they played with the girls team during their season, and Connor says, “It made sense to keep working with her, we know her, we work well with her, and she’s good.” 

   Tryouts were on Feb. 7-11 and the team is currently preparing for their upcoming games by performing drills and memorizing court positions. Yet, in spite of working incredibly hard in preparation to compete against difficult teams, the players are still making the most out of every practice. Tate says, “This is honestly the most fun I’ve had at a TPA sport … We’re super excited for the season.”