Sophomore Ryan Barnett said he had only been playing volleyball for a year before being contacted by the junior varsity coach to assist their team.

“The JV Coach approached me one day after I made a club team, and was like, ‘Hey do you wanna practice with us?’ So I agreed right off the bat,” Barnett said.

Barnett remains on the sidelines during games, but said he practices with the team as if he was a player.

“I don’t play in the actual school games, I sit on the bench. During the games I’m kind of there for morale — I work with the coach for strategies and stuff like that,” Barnett said. “I do whatever he needs me to do.”

Captain Anna Bauer said Barnett’s role has brought newfound motivation and support to the team.

“He brings a lot of energy to the bench and that was definitely something we were lacking midseason which was when he came along,” Bauer said. “He’s also very educated on the sport, he watches a lot of college volleyball so he knows good tips to tell us.”

Barnett’s knowledge of volleyball benefits the team both in practice and during games by challenging the players, according to Bauer.

“In practice he’ll enter in balls for us to play out and serve balls, they won’t be easy serves they’re difficult. He’s a really good server,” Bauer said. “I think he’s really good at what he’s been doing, just keeping everything on track.”

Barnett said his role as team manager will prepare him for his upcoming club season.

“It kind of jogged my memory on all the strategies that we use, so it will really help me when our season starts,” Barnett said.

Despite Park not having a boys’ volleyball team, Barnett said his position as team manager works just as well for him as having a boys’ team would.

“If I could play in the game that would be fun, but team manager is fine as it is,” Barnett said. “If a boys team was created I would definitely be on that roster, but it is great, I love it,” Barnett said.