The Boys’ Volleyball Team has recently become a more appreciated and popular sport at Colonia High School. Two years ago, in 2014, the boys’ team finished the season with a rather disappointing 5-12 record. However, the following season, the team ended their season with a much-improved 14-12 record.
The upcoming 2016 season is right around the corner and excitement is growing. Coach Biri has been the Varsity Boys’ Volleyball Head Coach for the last 2 seasons and will be making a return this year as well. He hopes to further grow the program this year. He noted that this year had the largest number of players trying out in his years of coaching the team. Coach Biri is looking to fill the void of graduated players, such as Nick Filzen and Derek Phells, by looking for more talented players and moving up JV players to the varsity level.
His outlook has always been, and always will be, positive towards every new season. Coach Biri plans to take the team to the next level by means of working together as a cohesive unit. As any great volleyball coach would say, working together as a single unit, almost like a machine, is absolutely critical to being successful and winning games. When asked about whether having a lot of younger players will affect how successful the team will be, Coach Biri responded that he finds that having younger players gives him time to develop those younger players for the following seasons. He hopes that the success and popularity of the volleyball team will encourage more potential players to try out for the team.
Coach Biri is looking for efficiency when it comes to playing and whoever can do their job the best, makes the team and gets playing time. Last season, the varsity boys’ team made it to the first round of the GMC’s and lost to Kearny to end the season. With every new season, Biri hopes to make it farther in the GMC’s until eventually the team wins a championship. However, first and foremost, Coach wishes to focus on this season first and take baby steps towards those bigger goals and accomplishments. He never wants to take any steps back, but always move in a more positive direction.
Tryouts took place on March 7th and 8th after school. The team is currently working hard to be ready for scrimmages starting this week and the season opener against Union High School on Friday, April 1st at home.
