With spring in motion, several Arcadia High School (AHS) athletic teams have mobilized for the new season. The Boys Junior Varsity (JV) Volleyball team is one of them, and they have been undefeated in the Pacific League so far. All of the players have been working hard, but one player in particular shares his story on what it’s like to represent Arcadia in volleyball.

Noah Chung is a freshman on the AHS Boys JV Volleyball team. As a middle blocker, he plays in the center of the frontline parallel to the net. His duties are to stop attacks like spikes from entering his team’s space, which helps “lighten the load for [the] defense”. Chung also partakes in offensive measures such as quick attacks on the front in order to shake off blockers and earn points for his team. 

“My schedule is tight, with practices until 5 p.m. everyday as well as constant games and tournaments” he said. 

When asked about his favorite part about playing, Chung stated that he likes “being able to play the sport [he loves] with [his] friends and spending time getting better and winning together”. 

Chung said that his practice for JV is focused on the fundamentals of volleyball, which can “get boring” at times. However, he also stated that mastering the basics are key to being a great athlete and a great component for your team. For him, practicing blocks and hits are the fundamentals he says need to be practiced in order to retain his skill. Not practicing these can result in “rusty skills”. Chung believes that not mastering the basic hits can cost him and his team the entire game. 

In addition to perfecting the basics, Chung also likes to work on things that aren’t a part of regular training. He chooses to practice moves that don’t typically fall under his responsibility as a middle blocker such as passing the ball to his teammates. Practicing slower shots is another skill that Chung practices outside of what is expected of him by his coach.

Over the course of the season, Chung has built up his stats quite a bit. He has over 50 kills, which are unrecoverable shots into the other team’s area, as well as 35 blocks that successfully stopped the enemy offensive. On top of this, he has 7 service aces.

With three years of experience in the sport and one year in a club, Noah Chung is certainly a vital player for the Boy’s JV Volleyball team. Although he knows his playing isn’t perfect, it certainly is good and is a key reason for why his team hasn’t lost yet. The Apaches have had a great spring season so far and will do so for the remainder of the year!

Photo Courtesy of Ulanda Lee