After playing club volleyball for three years, senior Connor MacFarland decided that it was time for the school to establish a men’s team for the sport. Amid his final semester of high school, he founded Free State’s very own boys indoor club volleyball team.
The inaugural team consists of a group of eight athletes, many of whom have previously played volleyball casually. In addition to these players, the team is coached by Daniel Schoettmer and is managed by foreign exchange student Marvin Boeger, and sophomore girls volleyball tandem Anniston Clark and Tessa Nover-Estes.
As they head into the season, team member Eli Stone said the focus is to gain organized game experience for competition against schools with more established volleyball programs in the Heart of America Volleyball League.
“We want to compete with schools that have had the experience and to feel that environment,” Stone said. “Because most of us haven’t played organized volleyball before, and it would help us yield growth for the team.”
While assembling players for the team was straightforward, making the program official was a challenge. MacFarland had to go through a series of administrative obstacles to get the idea approved. Even after approval, utilizing school facilities for games and practices have been denied by school officials.
“I think one of the challenges is our facilities. … Due to inclement weather at any time, we may have to move spring sports that are KSHSAA approved into those gyms. If you were to schedule a [volleyball] game at home and it’s raining out, you’re now sending all of those people home,” Assistant principal Matt Renk said.
Despite following KSHSAA rules, the team has been misclassified as a for-profit organization, and will see an upward expenditure of $1600 in court rentals plus player insurance costs. MacFarland says that with regards to other districts in the state, who have their rental fees waived, their circumstance is unfair.
Worried about the future, MacFarland is adamant of being able to keep this program alive within the school building. He is trying to get the administration and district’s favor to support the team to be able to play games in home court.
Despite the obstacles ahead for the team, MacFarland aims to push himself and hopes his efforts will help make the program permanent. He envisions a team that can serve as an avenue for others to discover a love for volleyball.
“I’d love to create a team that encourages boys to play volleyball regardless of whatever the stereotypes are in Kansas,” MacFarland said.
