Beginning with tryouts, the idea for a co-ed club volleyball team becomes a reality
By John McCarty
While most students were focused on locking into the routine of the spring semester, the volleyball club was holding tryouts and picking teams for UP's first co-ed club volleyball team.
The Volleyball Club held unofficial tryouts, or "workshops," last Saturday and five teams were formed based on both skill level and commitment.
The co-ed club's season has officially begun, but it is still in the planning stage and currently there are no scheduled tournaments or games.
According to sophomore Volleyball Club President Alyssa Wirthlin, the Volleyball Club's budget had already been decided. When the co-ed teams were added, each player had to pay for things like tournament fees, uniforms, balls, nets and travel.
Though co-ed club volleyball is new to UP, the idea had been under discussion for a few years.
"There was a lot of interest, especially from the freshman and we weren't going to let funding stop us," Wirthlin said.
Freshman Volleyball Club Vice President Casey Andersen is optimistic about the co-ed club's future.
"Senate is more willing to give out funds if you show that you are trying," Andersen said.
This will be a year of development for the co-ed team, according to Wirthlin, and there is room for more players and even another team.
The Volleyball Club is also planning to provide camps at local middle schools in order to raise funds for the program.
The beginning of the spring semester also marks the beginning of another round of intramural sports and limits the availability of the Howard Hall gymnasium.
"One of our biggest hurdles right now is practice space," Wirthlin said.
Finding practice space isn't the only issue, according to club member and freshman Rick Baleros. The turnout of male students was less than expected.
Three of the five teams formed have enough men to play in the co-ed league while two of the teams are composed only of female students.
"There's not a lot of guys playing and it's probably due to poor advertising on the men's part," Baleros said. "But we hope for more male players as the season goes on."
Wirthlin and Andersen are optimistic about the future of the co-ed division of the Volleyball Club and plan to develop the program as time goes on.
