Sun shining, flowers blooming, and birds chirping. Spring is here and it’s time for spring sports! Coming this March is the start of the Boys Volleyball Season. This year the boys varsity team is looking to improve in all aspects of the sport so that they can advance even further in the race for the State Title with hopes of winning it all. Last years sophomore team finished 8-0 in conference while being crowned conference champs under the rule of first-year coach, Lauren Klenn. Many players from last years team will surely be looking forward to making a statement on varsity such as Setter, Michael Ciszczek, and Right Side, Cody Figus.  Coach Klenn is hoping to have another successful year with this year’s fresh batch of sophomores. Even though last years freshmen did not have the most successful season, they’re looking to turn that around this year by trying to win a conference title.

Coach Klenn also has high hopes for them as she looks to win her second conference title in two years as a sophomore coach. When asked about her views about the possible success of this year’s sophomore team she stated, “I’m hoping that everything just kind of transfers. I think the freshmen had a tough year last year, but I think having Coach McNamara(Girls Varsity Volleyball Coach) is a huge advantage to them. So I’m hoping that all those fundamental skills take off this year for a successful season at the sophomore level.”

For Coach Klenn volleyball takes up a vast amount of space in her life. She’s been involved in volleyball for as long as she can remember. She values coaching as being something really great to be involved in outside of being a teacher. It’s a way for her to make a better connection to the kids and school in a program that isn’t just the classroom.

Last year’s sophomore program had three freshmen move up to the team which was even more impressive for the fact that they all started. These freshmen included Outside, Donal Nugent, Middle, Aleksander Boldyrew, and Right Side, Adem Osmani. All three of these athletes will be working hard this year to get a spot on the varsity level team.

Coach Klenn was asked who she thought would make the biggest difference on varsity this year that’s moving up. She mentioned two of the three freshmen to make the biggest difference this year. Such players included sophomores, Aleksander Boldyrew  and Donal Nugent, while also including junior, Michael Ciszczek.

As all levels look for success this year, you too can be a part of Oak Lawn’s competitive volleyball programs. If anyone is interested in the program, you are allowed to go to their open gym sessions which are held once or twice a week up until the start of tryouts. Tryouts will be sometime in the first week of March. Listen to the announcements daily and follow them on Twitter @OLBoysVball for further information on tryout dates and open gym schedules.