Alumni are an integral part of the school community, providing a network of support and experience, varsity boys volleyball head coach Danny Chan said. The annual alumni game — which took place on Feb. 26 — is a perfect opportunity to grow players’ skills and connect back to the community, 2007 graduate, alumnus Ryan Dedrick said.
“When I played in high school, we had some alumni games,” Dedrick said. “It was always fun playing against the older guys, and they’ll always either get close to beating us or just barely beating us. I hope we bring the same competitive fire to the current team.”
Varsity middle blocker, captain Scott Moore said the alumni games are a way for our young athletes to see the progression of volleyball skills. The alumni have more experience due to their participation in adult teams and open volleyball leagues, bringing consistent hustle on the court and strong communication with each other, Moore, a senior, said.
Alumni games also bring a sense of community to all involved, Moore added. He said he appreciates the tight-knit network of HHS volleyball and enjoys playing against the alumni.
“The [alumni games] bring the current players and alumni together because it shows the sense of community HHS has,” Moore said. “We have a great group of alumni that can ball out and it’s an overall fun event.”
Dedrick said that reflecting on his volleyball experiences at HHS allows him to appreciate the bond of volleyball the school continues to foster.
“Playing volleyball with HHS has given me some lifelong friends and I still play with some of the students that I went to school with,” Dedrick said. “It’s a great memory to look back on my college and my high school years, and it’s fun to play against younger competition and give them a taste of what we used to be.”
