Burlington boys getting their kicks
It wasn’t much of a surprise to coach Wingsze Seaman that she would need to shift players’ focus from using their feet to using their hands when a majority of the brand-new Burlington volleyball program this year was made up of soccer players — all but one or two of whom had never played organized volleyball before.
She just never thought it would come up in a game.
But amid the team’s matchup against Somerville on April 29, the Red Devils encountered a play that most players might dive toward with their fists. Burlington kicked it instead, and actually scored a point.
“I couldn’t believe they played it like that and it worked,” Seaman said, laughing. “It’s like, ‘What the heck?’”
The kicked balls in practice haven’t stopped, but neither has the team’s dedication to learn under Seaman — a veteran juniors coach and third-year coach with the girls team. So far, Burlington is running with early success.
That Somerville game ended with a 3-0 win; their second. Losses within a competitive Middlesex League — also brand-new — has Burlington at 2-4 overall, but fifth-set losses to Salem and Arlington could easily have ended in the Red Devils standing at 4-2 instead.
“These guys respect the fact that this is a competitive sport and are committed to learning the skills and putting in the work to improve,” Seaman said. “They’re overjoyed and excited when they’re clicking. … They’re at the point where they understand the level I want to get them at. They just need the reps.”
Burlington’s leap to play varsity instead of club volleyball in its first year was partly due to a long overdue plan, but also due to persuasions from coaches John Fleming (Winchester) and Jane Bergin (Lexington) — who started their programs in 2010.
Between advice from their own growing pains and all of the coaches’ desire to finally get enough teams to create a Middlesex League, Bergin and Fleming provided enough support to help Burlington make the push.
Both are overjoyed to get the league going. By doing so, Arlington, Winchester, Lexington and Burlington reap the benefits of having their own league, making it easier to build schedules and have league champions and all-stars. It also makes it easier for schools like Woburn, Wakefield and Melrose — which have the interest — to follow suit.
“Seeing that these programs exist in surrounding towns, the word is being spread,” Bergin said. “We’re really trying hard to build (volleyball) up. … (A new league) creates a buzz. The interest is there. Everything is already there.”
Side-outs
• Malden made program history last year by winning its first state tournament game, but entered the year unsatisfied. With senior standouts Kingson Chen (setter), Yoji Yonetani (libero) and Cyril Jeremie (middle blocker) leading the way, they enter the weekend at 11-1 with a revenge match against O’Bryant slated for May 19.
• Wayland’s loaded schedule is paying off in the power rankings, turning a 6-6 record into a high seeding as
its strength of schedule rating of 2.8283 nearly doubles that of the second-highest rating in Div. 2. “Our goal is to be ready for the state playoffs,” said head coach Phil George. “We try to do that by only playing the best teams in the state. It’s my deliberate purpose when I’m scheduling … and if I could play all of them twice, I would.”
• Medfield is soaring at 102, but it’s now making waves off the court. The Warriors
opened a fundraiser for “Razom for Ukraine” to help contribute toward its emergency response fund. Captains Tyler Shu and Caleb Garverich are largely responsible for organizing it, dedicating Monday’s game against Norwood toward the cause — which already raised over $1,500. “We decided to hold this fundraiser match to extend the charity work done by the girls volleyball team in years prior,”
Shu said. “We have truly accomplished something, and our actions can make a difference. We deeply appreciate this positive response from everyone that has helped us advocate for aid to people in Ukraine, and hope that our efforts raise general awareness of this situation.”
More information and donations can be made at https://www.facebook.com/ donate/509667697558078/