By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
A boys’ volleyball team is in action at Southeast Alamance.
While not a sanctioned sport by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, boys’ volleyball has been growing in parts of the state.
“It’s just something we’re trying,” Southeast athletics director B.J. Condron said. “A group in North Carolina is making a push to do it.”
Eastern Alamance also put together a team, but that was scrapped earlier this week.
In some ways, it’s similar to the emergence of girls’ flag football, which also has been discussed by NCHSAA leaders as a potential new official sports offering. Eastern and Southeast were the only Alamance County schools to compete in flag football in the fall.
Eastern athletics director Brad Costa said boys’ volleyball is a bit different because there’s more streamlined scheduling than for girls’ flag football. Boys’ volleyball is a spring sport.
“There’s already a structure in place,” Costa said. “We’re joining something that already exists.”
Costa said Eastern’s decision to back out came because some potential players opted to compete in other spring sports. There had been about 10 players under coach Alarie Watson, a former girls’ volleyball coach at Woodlawn Middle School.
Condron said Southeast considered forming a team for 2025. Best-of-5 matches are slated for volleyball.
It might take adjustments for players who might participate in volleyball during physical education classes, Condron said.
“I’m interested to see what the product looks like,” he said.
Southeast, coached by Natasha Watson, has about a dozen players.
Opponents on original schedules for Southeast and Eastern included Jordan-Matthews, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Cary Academy, Seaforth, Eno River Academy, Southern Durham, Panther Creek, Greensboro Smith, Greensboro Page and Roxboro Community. Though not listed as a foe, Asheboro is fielding a team for the first time as well, while Cedar Ridge is also a participant.
