By Steve Sears

The Randolph High School Boys’ Volleyball team made its first ever debut on Tuesday, April 20, and they owned the court and net with a 2 – 0 (25 – 22, 25 – 20) triumph over Vernon.

“It was certainly a game I won’t forget, and I don’t think it’s a game that any of the guys will forget either,” says coach Erik Novack. “You should have seen the way that they were huddling around each other, and they were going in their own little circle in the one room, absolutely going crazy, before the game, and even crazier after the game. It was like they won a championship match. I couldn’t ask for a better start. And then also, I think it set a good foundation because the team really bonded over it, it made us get closer, and at the end of the day it just made us better. It just proved to them that we’re not just a new team, but we’re actually a team that was able to compete.”

Dave Hutchinson is in his third year as Randolph Athletic Director. “What happened with us was that we had put a plan in place to be a club program for two years,” he says. “Last year would have been our second year as a club program, so we we’re always targeting to start (a varsity team) this year, but that second club year didn’t happen, but fortunately we saw enough good results from the first year that we were able to move forward, bringing it on as  a sport.”

“The turnout the second year was a lot,” Novack adds about the Covid-aborted campaign. “I think I had 40 kids. We only had three days of practice, but like Dave said, a great turnout.”

When Hutchinson arrived on the scene, discussion of a volleyball program was in the works, and he’s impressed with the progress. “It’s worked out really nicely. It doesn’t seem to affect any of our other spring sports. We really hit on something where we got kids involved that maybe would not have been involved in the spring, so that’s a really nice thing that we can do. That means more kids are actively doing something and participating and competing. Randolph has, generally speaking, good athletes, so what I’m seeing from the kids out on the court is they’re picking things up really quickly and then suddenly becoming competitive, which is great.”

Novack, whose assistant coach is Bryan Mate, attended Belvidere High School, which did not have a boys’ volleyball team. “It was something me and my friends and I tried to get going. I spoke to the AD at the time, and nothing really ever came of it.” He went on to play soccer in college at William Paterson University, which also didn’t have a boys’ volleyball program. “I played in the club there, and then anytime we got a group of people we would play as well, so it’s always a sport I’ve always wished I was able to play at the competitive level.” Coaching at a competitive level, however, was right around the bend. After his college graduation, he started at Randolph High School. “Once I saw this opportunity, I immediately pretty much jumped on and told Dave that I was very interested once I heard that there was a club potentially starting up,” says Novack, who also coaches freshman girls’ soccer, and freshman boy’s basketball.

While proud of his entire club, who compete in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, Novack points to Setter and Captain Harrison Green, who per his coach has a volleyball background and is like another coach on the court, and Kieran Lucas, who Novack wanted to be a Setter. “He said, ‘No, no Coach, I want to hit.’” Lucas is now an excellent Outside Hitter for the club. “And I thank him for not letting me make him a Setter,” says Novack with a laugh.

To follow Randolph Rams sports, visit www.randolphathletics.rschoolteams.com.