Boys Varsity Volleyball Co-Captain junior Bryan Liu has been playing volleyball since the seventh grade. What he claims started out as “just for fun” has now blossomed into a potential pathway for college.

Like many, Bryan got his start playing in the Arcadia Recreation League. Intent on finding more opportunities to play as a rising eighth-grader, Bryan signed up for the AHS summer volleyball camp. He revealed, “During the summer [at camp]…the coaches told me to play with the older guys [who] were, at the time, freshman, sophomores, and juniors.” For him, the opportunity to play alongside more experienced athletes drew out his competitiveness and paved the way for his Varsity recruitment. Similarly, the camp exposed him to a higher caliber of skills and allowed him to garner experience, giving him an edge against his middle school peers and leading the way to the first of many summers spent at camp.

Ever since his freshman year, Bryan has been a starter playing outside hitter on the team, but even more impressive, he was the only freshman player on the team that year. He recalled, “The summer going into ninth grade, the coaches told me to play up again, but instead on the Varsity team.” When asked about how he felt about the opportunity, he revealed he was “very, very hesitant.” He explained, “Everyone was a giant compared to me since I was only about 5’7”, and I did not want to look like the worst one there.” In addition, Bryan had to overcome the pressure intertwined with being a younger member and a starting player on the team: “There is a decent amount of pressure being a starter because anyone can take your spot, but it also motivates me because I know I have to play even better.” Turns out, Bryan did fairly well his freshman year, at least enough to earn him the title of Co-Captain his sophomore year.

Being a star athlete also entails many expectations, from playing to academics. Bryan revealed, “To balance the expectations of the team, anytime I practice I go all out: striving to be better than before. On the academic side, I mainly try to finish all my homework right when I get home, especially if I have practice at night.” There are also expectations for games, but his advice to other athletes is: “Never give up after a loss, use it to strive to get better.” Reflecting on his ambition and persistence, Bryan’s goals before his high school career ends include winning “the Pacific League championship title, Pacific League Volleyball Player of the Year, and possibly a CIF title.” In the meantime, we’ll just have to wait and see.   

Thank you, Bryan, for taking your time to share your experiences and good luck in your future endeavors!