The Hidden Heroes
Boy’s Volleyball Struggles for Net Recognition
NEIRAD enilno edition
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The Darien High School girl’s volleyball team is synonymous with sporting success. These high profile athletes win accolade after accolade including the state championships last season.
Not so for the boy’s team. “We have a boy’s volleyball team?” said one of the teachers at Darien High School. This telling statement is indicative of the lesser known DHS volleyball team, which began in 2006. The boys still make a huge commitment despite rarely receiving even a shred of the rock star glory accorded to the girl players.
The boy’s team starts its third season this month. DHS senior Peter Feldman, a member since the beginning, said, “Since we are only a third year team, lacrosse, baseball, softball, and tennis all hover over us, and they don’t know we even exist.”
Last year the team went all the way to states: a huge accomplishment for the incipient squad. With co-captains Cody Coughlin and Bryan Begley, this year’s team is expected to serve up an even better game. Coughlin says the player’s anticipated success will be grounded in lots of hard work.
“Volleyball isn’t a joke like everyone seems to think; it takes more time and more effort than most of your everyday average guy sports,’” Coughlin said. “We practice four to five hours a day for seven days a week. But if you put in the effort then the sport grows on you and you fall in love with it.”
The team is hoping more DHS guys will fall in love with volleyball. A lack of young talent could hurt the team’s future. The starting lineup is composed entirely of seniors: Bryan Begley, Cody Coughlin, Peter Feldman, Nils Remole and Eric Heberton.
Feldman said new recruits are crucial for the time to thrive. “If we are able to catch freshman, sophomores, and even some juniors it would be amazing because the team is made up of mostly seniors, and we need some new players to train.”
For further information about joining the boy’s volleyball team, contact Peter Feldman or Cody Coughlin via their DHS email accounts.
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"The Darien High School girl’s volleyball team is synonymous with sporting success. These high profile athletes win accolade after accolade including the state championships last season. (See “Volleyball Glory Days,” Neirad Enilno, December edition)
