Boys Volleyball Spikes Into SoWashCo Schools

For the first time in state history, Minnesota high schools are celebrating the inaugural season of boys volleyball as an officially sanctioned sport by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). Club boys volleyball has been offered at Park, East Ridge and Woodbury high schools for the past few years but this year marks the official start of boys volleyball as a MSHSL sport at the three high schools.

Over the past few years, boys volleyball has grown steadily at the club and recreation level. Now, with official recognition, schools can form teams, compete for state championships and give young athletes the same opportunities as their peers in other sports.

“We have lots of guys who are new to sports who now get to experience the excitement of playing with a team,” said Woodbury head coach Amanda Cordes.

For players, coaches and fans, this is more than just a new sport, it’s a chance to make history. 

“It’s really cool being the start of a legacy,” said Woodbury senior Ethan Parzych.

As the first official season unfolds, the focus is on growth, competition and establishing a strong community. Boys volleyball is poised to become a major player in Minnesota’s high school sports landscape.

“It feels more real,” said Park senior Gavin Oberding. “Winning means more.”

“I love it,” said East Ridge sophomore Nathan Hegemann. “It’s my first time playing and it’s just a fun positive environment.”

“We had more people attend our first official game than attended our whole last season when we were playing at the club level,” said Woodbury senior Rylan Chung.

“Boys volleyball has been a great addition to our sports offerings,” said Park High School Activities Director Phil Kuemmel. “I appreciate all the work that our coaches and parents have done to make this happen.”

Advocates spent years pushing for the sport’s inclusion, pointing to the rising popularity and the lack of opportunities for non-contact sports for male athletes. Many players previously had to choose between club volleyball or other school sports. 

“Students now get to practice much more frequently and have transportation to matches,” said East Ridge head coach Lau Yang. “Being an official sport also opens up accessibility to lower-income families so that their students can participate without the high costs of club or recreational volleyball.”

“We have a lot of players who also play Hmong volleyball which has a large following in the metro,” said East Ridge coach Che Xia. “Now those students have the advantage to build upon and improve their skills.”

“The launch of boys volleyball has been nothing short of inspiring. It’s brought in a whole new group of students, many of whom haven’t participated in other sports and given them a place to belong and shine,” said Park head coach Robert Lozinski-McLean. “Reaching new populations is how we build stronger, more inclusive communities.”

“What I love about this sport is that you have a super diverse group of athletes working as a team,” said East Ridge coach Mathias Baden. “Big, small, short, tall, all have different strengths that are needed on the court.”

“As we look to the future, the next big step is to create strong partnerships between the three high schools at the youth and middle school levels,” said East Ridge boys volleyball booster club president Dave Huffcutt. “Working together we can build great foundations for all the high school programs, serve our SoWashCo families and level up boys’ volleyball in the East Metro.”