Thump, thump, thump. Their hearts beat as one on the morning of the Texas Boys Varsity Volleyball team’s final rounds for the inaugural season. The team placed third, winning 2-0 against Arlington Heights, beating Lovejoy 2-1, and advancing to semifinals where they lost 2-1 against Prosper. Senior Kyle Steele (middle blocker), Junior Jacob Koruthu (setter), and Freshman Noah Brown (libero) won All State First Team following their victory.

“During the morning of [the final competitions], we had a conflict, one of our players had the SAT that morning so we were down some players, and we decided we really needed to step up and play as a team,” Steele said. “[We came to] realize this is the end of our season. [So we said] let’s play, we’re here, we made it this far, let’s put it all in the court, and let’s just give it our all. We really came together, we had all of these games under our belt now, [and said] okay, we know how this works, let’s win. [And] we did.”

By the end of the season, there were 11 members of the team, all of whom had been supported by sponsors Stevie Mayberry and Gregg Naranjo, as well as trained by Senior and Student Coach Liz Gerondale, who had coached them through their first season.

“I was incredibly proud, I could not have asked for more” Gerondale said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how they took what I was telling them and then put it into action. That is pretty much how I feel about it, it was not about the best player or the Olympic level, it’s that who has the most heart, and who can put their technique into action.”

Gerondale has loved volleyball since fifth grade, and said she picked up her passion for the sport from her mom. This was her first real time coaching.

“I went to one practice, and I was hooked on coaching,” Gerondale said. “I loved the guys, loved coaching, and I loved teaching them a technique I had learned throughout my years of experience. I would teach them one thing, and they would take it and metabolize it and turn it into something great. Put together, a fantastic team. I would have never expected it to be that great.”

Steele, founder of the men’s volleyball club, spent the summer playing volleyball, incorporating his newfound passion for the sport into his Phoenix independent project, a project that carried with him until the end of the season. Along with volleyball, he was also HOSA president for junior and senior year and was involved in Interact (service organization).

“I think everyone should find at least one thing to get involved in because high school is pointless otherwise,” Steele said. “You need a reason to socialize with other people, so getting involved in a sport or [club/organization] is really important because just the school part is not very fun.”

Steele said he hopes the volleyball club keeps on going after he graduates, and he said he expects to see a state championship in the next few years.

“I definitely want it to continue after I am gone,” Steele said. “And I want to continue to see great players come out of Allen.”