A new club has been formed on campus: the Hillsdale Men’s Volleyball Club.
The brainchild of freshman Eric Walker, the volleyball club had its first practice on Nov. 5. The next practice will be in the Roche Sports Complex on Nov. 11from 3-5 p.m.
Walker, who was part of a start-up volleyball club in high school, is the president of the club. Michael Clark, assistant professor of economics, will coach, and Ryan Servold, middle school volleyball coach at Hillsdale Academy, will assist him. Walker described Clark as the club’s “greatest asset.”
Thirteen men attended the club’s first meeting on Nov. 1. Walker said another six were interested in joining the club.
“We’ll always be looking for guys that are interested,” Walker said. “We are trying to structure the club so we can work with any level of commitment.”
The club will practice three times a week.
“If you want to try volleyball out, this is really the good time to try and do it,” Clark said. “We’re in a good place starting up. Just have fun with it.”
Walker said that this first year, the club would focus on player development, but that they would also compete in tournaments and arrange matches with other clubs.
“By the end of the year, I see us having a travel team of guys who know how to work together and play technical volleyball,” Walker said.
Walker said he would also like to develop a practice team of men improving their volleyball skill and to join a league next year.
Walker said he was surprised by the response to the club.
“I thought it was going to take more work to get guys interested,” he said, “but they were asking about getting involved.”
Any men interested in joining the club should email Walker.
“Volleyball’s a good camaraderie sport,” Clark said. “It’s as fun as it gets.”