Spring sports are starting to warm up and coaches are switching gears and preparing for their first, second or third season of coaching. After a strong girls’ volleyball season, head coach of both boys’ and girls’ volleyball Brandon Eang is preparing to guide this year’s boys’ team to success.
As the season slowly arrives, a few goals set by the team are to improve their offensive game: achieve more wins in their regular games, and make the playoff games. This year, the team lost two valuable seniors who greatly impacted their past successes. Eang hopes to lead this year’s upperclassmen to achieve the same success. Along with that, the excitement of incoming and returning underclassmen is highly anticipated.
“We lost two great seniors last year, two great outside hitters, and because of that we lack offensive power. Defense, however, has been and will continue to be a strong suit for the team, especially with returning players. Eang said.
Given that the 2025 lineup will be a younger team, Eang plans to rely on the new upperclassmen to carry the team to victory by using the strategies and teamwork they displayed last year.
Additionally, with the gameplay, Eang also wants to enforce his message more clearly about becoming a unified team including his strong beliefs in teamwork, hard work, and well-constructed games.
Commitment is another aspect of the season that Eang and the team want to see happening both on and off the court. According to Eang, everyone who is a part of the team should bring their full effort to every practice and game while also having fun. He also believes that success is based on consistency, hard work and willingness to push through, whether you have lost or won a game.
“Practice hard, play hard […], and it’s going to show up at the games itself. As long as we are determined to practice as a team, as a unit […], then we should be okay,” Eang said.
A few characteristics that Eang looks for in his players are willingness to take constructive criticism, having an open mind about new ideas or strategies, and being able to adapt to changes quickly. A successful team also consists of a coach who has a good relationship with his players.
“A good team requires an experienced coach, with patience and experience, and mainly players who are willing to work hard to improve themselves. Players who build up good chemistry between themselves can really do incredible things.” sophomore Shaunak Kundalkar said.
To make sure that the goals are reached, Eang expects full focus from each team member and wants to guarantee a safe, welcoming, and successful environment. This, according to Eang, heavily requires building trust with one another. He believes that practices are a place where teammates make memories and friends, and share common goals and ideas.
“I’m excited to get back together with my team and make more memories and just have fun. There were some people who were in my classes last year that I didn’t really know until we started playing volleyball together,” sophomore Liam Mullins said.
The crowd can expect a hard fought season as WA Boys’ Volleyball heads into a new season with new energy and focus while the boys aim to reach new heights. With a mix of returning and new players containing fresh talent, they are determined to sharpen their skills and bond together as a unit.
