With the national championship in Cedar Rapids this week, will Iowa men's volleyball ever be able to move beyond being a small club sport?
William Penn's Ike Papes, 17, William Penn's Britten Bialis, 21, and William Penn's Landon Krause, 23, compete during the NAIA Men's Volleyball Championship at Alliant Energy Powerhouse. (age) reached out to block a hit from Reinhardt's Rodolfo Biegelmeyer (age 4) in the second set. Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
CEDAR RAPIDS — The energy and passion seen from the benches at St. Xavier and Westcliff was another sign that men's volleyball may deserve more attention as a growing sport.
“I think the culture of men's volleyball is more geared toward who we are,” St. Xavier head coach Tom Ryan said.
The Cougars of St. Xavier defeated the Westcliff Warriors 3-1 in the first game of day two of the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Tournament held at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse.
“We overcame adversity and had some tough starts, but we were able to control our emotions at the end,” Ryan said.
“We've always been a fun, goofy group, and that's part of our personality. It's about really seeing the line between being really competitive and having fun,” Ryan said.
The St. Xavier men's volleyball team celebrated a victory at the NAIA National Men's Volleyball Tournament in Cedar Rapids. (Ben Lamparek/The Gazette)
Chicago's St. Xavier has the advantage of having the second-largest boys' high school volleyball market in the country, behind California. Many schools struggle to recruit local talent. NAIA Men's Volleyball has many international players, with about 50 participating in this week's national tournament alone.
“We've always tried to do well in our backyard and provide playing opportunities for kids in the Chicago area, but we also have players from California, players from Las Vegas, and international players,” Ryan said. Told.
The question remains whether men's volleyball can grow even in a state with a small population like Iowa.
As a past president of the NAIA Men's Volleyball Executive Committee, Ryan is extremely passionate about continuing to grow the sport.
“I just wanted to play a role in advancing the sport and moving NAIA men's volleyball forward,” he said. “We have made great progress over the years.”
Continuing to add more teams and programs is an important step for NAIA moving forward.
“I think the biggest part is exposure. We're still struggling with that,” Ryan said. “All the fans who saw this work for the first time gave it very positive reviews.”
Rule changes may also help the product. Ryan mentioned how the rules need to be adjusted because serve errors occur too often in the men's game.
“We've seen the baseball world change over the last few years and look to serve new demographics,” he said. “Volleyball also has to be aggressive.”
Men's volleyball in Iowa is only available at the club level. While this could be a crucial step in increasing exposure in the state, it is questionable whether the attendance numbers will bear it out.
“I think it always takes pioneers to provide these opportunities, and I know there are people in Iowa who are doing the same,” Ryan said. “There’s great talent here, and we’ve recruited some players from the Midwest over the years.”
Therein lies the excitement of athletes and coaches in sports. Men's volleyball is gradually gaining exposure and popularity. Growth is the next step.
Comment: ben.lamparek@thegazette.com
