It may be fighting a losing battle to become a sanctioned sport, but boys volleyball is beginning to thrive in Colorado and building an argument.
Girls volleyball is sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association and is played during the fall, while boys volleyball and rugby operate in a club format for the time being as Title IX complications — which have to do with level participation numbers for boys and girls sports — and other obstacles exist to its inclusion.
Terry Miller, who coaches the Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team in the fall and helms the Cherokee Trail boys co-op team, has long hoped to get the sport sanctioned. The game is fairly low-cost and uses the same equipment that exists for the girls season, while teams are used to odd practice times that wouldn’t conflict with other sports in school gymnasiums.
“I don’t know when or if it would ever get sanctioned by CHSAA; it’s kindof disappointing because there are a lot of guys who would come out and play and a lot of fans that would come out and watch and see what it’s like,” Miller said. “When I was playing in high school at a club level years and years ago, we were trying to get it sanctioned, but it was like running into a brick wall…I’d like it to be.
“If you’re looking at increasing participation for athletes in the state, not just girls, what better opportunity for boys to play another sport that isn’t necessarily a mainstream sport that is relatively inexpensive.”
A growing number of boys club volleyball teams exist for a variety of ages, while high school players can play in the Colorado Boys High School Volleyball Association.
The organizations state tournament is this upcoming weekend at Colorado Springs Christian School, and Miller’s team from Cherokee Trail — a mix of players from several Aurora high schools — is 22-0 and coming off winning its regional championship on May 2 at Grandview High School.
The Cherokee Trail team is led by senior outside hitter Matt McLaren, who is headed to play men’s volleyball at Penn State University after redshirting for a year. McLaren is the older brother of Haley McLaren, one of the key players on Grandview’s 5A state championship-winning girls team in the fall.
“I started talking to Penn State my sophomore year and verbally committed last summer to go out this next year,” McLaren said. “I could be on scholarship the next year after I redshirt, but you never know.”
Before he heads off to play in college, McLaren — who plays for a boys club team at Front Range — is eager to finish out the season with the Cherokee Trail team.
A new addition to the Cherokee Trail team this season is junior Ryan Swan, a move-in from Utah before the school year who was a standout with the Overland boys basketball team that made it to the 5A Final Four.
“Our team is all around; we thrive on offense, but we have a lot of kids who can hit,” McLaren said. “We’re like a family.”
Regis Jesuit has been a boys volleyball power for quite awhile under coach Laura Dunston, who also heads the girls team in the fall.
The Raiders beat University and Doherty to win their regional going into state.
