by Kathleen McAleese
Managing Editor

Three of the returning Boys’ Varsity Volleyball players wait in anticipation for the opposition’s serve. They support each other on the court; they stand in different positions, yet they communicate and perform with precision as they call out each others names. These three members of the team have been named captains for the upcoming 2015 spring season.

Conor Hanly, Dustin Torgerson, and Peter Hurley were named captains by Coach Russell Coward earlier this year. The three hold, what they would conceive, as reasonable expectations for the coming season.

“We’d like to make the tournament,” said Torgerson. “We didn’t this past year and it was kind of a bummer.”

As this season closed and the team missed the state tournament by the narrow margin of just one game, three captains hold high hopes for next year’s season and look to the future instead of dwelling on the past.

“It’s sort of our time, I suppose”

-Conor Hanly

Coward holds a similar point of view, and hopes that the team has what it takes to excel next year.

“I think each is ready to step up and be the leaders this team needs to make it back to the state tournament and continue to be a competitive team in the Dual County League,” said Coward of the three captains.

Torgerson thinks that the schedule that the boys will play next year will contribute to their successes, saying that some of the games they lost early in the season was simply because of a lack of readiness for difficult game play.

“A major reason why we lost so many games, or at least our beginning games, was we weren’t ready for them so I feel like if we prepare ourselves before the season, we will be pretty successful,” said Hurley.

After this season, lead by captains Neal Cummings and Luke Moran, came to a close, the newer captains have learned from previous captains.

“It’s sort of our time, I suppose,” said Hanly.

As they do begin to prepare for the upcoming season, the three keep in mind improvements that can be made possible through off season work.

“It’s definitely going to be a struggle because we lost a lot of good seniors who have played volleyball and have a lot more experience than us but we are going to try to work to build up the program more,” said Hurley.

Part of the solution for ensuring season readiness for next year includes off season practices and games in the fall and winter to help the team improve collectively.

“Its not that we were bad this year, we just didn’t win some games that we should’ve,” said Hanly.

All played on Junior Varsity their freshman year, and have played on Varsity Volleyball since sophomore year. Going on their third season together, the three feel that in their respective positions, they will work well as captains next year.

Hanly, Hurley, and Torgerson all play separate positions, which they feel will help provide a sense of balance on the team in the future season. Hanly expects to mentor blocking, Hurley with hitting, and Torgerson with passing. As they lead the team from their respective position, the three think they will be able to provide separate coaching for the newer, less experienced members of the team.

“I’m pretty honored to be a captain,” said Hurley. “It’s a big leadership role on the team but I believe that we all deserve it because we’ve been on the team and had the experience and we’re definitely role models for the underclassmen.”