“Let’s goooo!”
I’m not usually one to yell, but club volleyball has brought the competitive side of me back after years of being repressed, even though I am only the manager. Volleyball really is not my sport, but it is the sport of several of my closest friends.
As I write this, the men’s club volleyball team and I are on our way back from a tournament where they placed second, playing against teams much more established than us. Like many great things, club volleyball started small, with only five people who worked together to write the constitution in October of 2020, though the idea was born with six people several months before. Now they have tripled in size and have started to become more competitive. Caleb Pourchot, a senior business major, is one of the two founding members still in the club, and he is thankful for its growth and development since its humble beginnings.
“It just kinda happened,” Pourchot said. “I was playing Bowld volleyball, and we were playing literally every night of the week. It got to the point where we actually wanted to play more competitively, not just pass the ball. It’s fun to make a social event out of it, but I wanted to actually get to a higher level of the game and actually go to tournaments.”
While the players enjoy the competition aspect of volleyball, that is not the only reason they chose to join this group. As someone who became their manager with no previous knowledge of volleyball and little-to-no desire to watch it, I can testify to the wonderful company one can find at their biweekly practices, which has made even me love the sport.
Elizabeth Halbrooks, junior Spanish major, captain of the women’s team and co-captain of the coed team, stated a similar sentiment.
“I like to think that we’re able to glorify God through both making friends and competing,” Halbrooks said. “I think my favorite part is somewhere between the social and the competitive parts of it.”
Rafael Tobler, senior psychology major, is the only founding member left besides Pourchot. Having played volleyball in high school, he missed playing competitively when he came to Union. He is hopeful that the men’s club team will lead to something more in the future.
“The hope is that one day, Union will have a men’s volleyball team,” Tobler said.
Club volleyball may not be as big of a commitment as being on the official university team, but they have their own share of challenges. For now, the team gets no money from the university besides the $200 they can get from Union’s senate. This made getting jerseys, volleyballs and a ball cart, along with paying for tournaments, difficult.
“It gets pricey by the time you’re buying food and gas, and tournament pay and all that,” Pourchot said. “It was all we could do to get what we have now. With funding, we won’t have to worry about it as much.”
By this time next year, club volleyball anticipates becoming a university-sponsored club like the Jaxx and Jillz. With the money and support they will get from that, they will be able to play in more tournaments without it being a huge burden on their players, hopefully making it easier for people to participate. For now, though, they are selling shirts as a fundraiser to help pay for equipment and tournaments.
“What would change about club when y’all receive funding?” I asked the men’s team.
“Oh, so much,” Johnson said.
Likely, the team will go to more tournaments, but Tobler wondered if the next president might hire a coach once they receive funding to relieve some pressure from the captains. Tobler and Pourchot will both be graduating this semester, leaving the club with current members to carry on the legacy they started.
Tobler will be sad to see this part of his journey end after being a coach for his friends for the last few years. While he says it does get in the way of his own playing at times, he has enjoyed learning to be a better coach and how to foster a good team environment. Mostly, he has enjoyed watching his friends get better and better at his favorite sport.
“I really enjoy playing volleyball,” Tobler said. “It’s really fun. I do miss being able to play as much, but seeing people improve, especially those who have been with me since the beginning, has been really fun.”
“What’re you talking about? I’ve always been this good,” Johnson replied with laughter.
