It’s almost 7 p.m., the sun is just beginning to paint colors in the sky, the air is getting chilly, and the school day has long been over. Most students would be sharing a warm meal with their families or starting on a long, boring list of homework, but sophomore Jordan Powers and his teammates are preparing to leave for volleyball practice.
Powers, a Loy Norrix men’s volleyball player, has become frustrated over the past two years because men’s volleyball is not an official school sport. As a result, the team has faced many struggles with managing money and time.
“We don’t have any say in what times we have practices, when we want to use the gym,” said Powers. “We also don’t have any refs. We have to pay for refs ourselves, so we have to earn a lot of money from the people around us.”
Every time they host a game, it typically costs them between $210 and $420, depending on the number of courts they need refs for. Game attendance is very important as it allows the team to cover ref fees through the five-dollar spectator entry fee.
Struggles with money are one of Powers’s least favorite parts about men’s volleyball. The team has to fundraise and pay for their uniforms, referees, and many other resources that other sports have a provided budget for.
One good part about volleyball for Powers is the friends he has made since joining. School sports and other extracurricular activities have been a great outlet for making friends and becoming part of a community for decades.
“Most of us are really close. We’re friends in and out of school,” said Powers. “I get to play volleyball with a bunch of my friends, and we kind of screw around sometimes.”’
Despite the strong community amongst the team, Powers, along with his coach and fellow players, have felt frustrated with the inequality they face. Because they don’t have priority in the gym, practices go from about 7-9 p.m., meaning they often get home around 9:30-10 p.m.
“Between not getting transportation, not getting paid for it, it’s all volunteer,” said volleyball coach and teacher Noah Macomber. “I probably lose a lot of money doing it.”
Volleyball, which was originally called mintonette, originated in 1895 by an instructor who worked for the YMCA. Volleyball was originally intended to be a less strenuous alternative to basketball, but it became more geared toward women at the high school and college level in the 1970s and 80s.
According to an article from Zippia titled Volleyball Player demographics and statistics in the US, approximately 22% of volleyball players are men, although the number has increased by about 15% since 2010.
Good news is coming for men’s volleyball teams, though. According to a Battle Creek Enquirer article titled Excitement around boys volleyball grows as MHSAA announces it will become official sport, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has announced that men’s volleyball will become an official MHSAA-sponsored tournament sport starting in the 2025-26 school year. Powers and his teammates are incredibly excited for the change.
“I’m really excited about it because we’ll have the gym more often, and we don’t have to give it up for baseball, and we’ll actually get refs,” said Powers.
Despite the extra efforts, the men’s varsity volleyball team has reported a good club season this year.
“Our varsity is looking at winning conference this year and then moving on to regionals and state tournament,” said Macomber. “If you want to play, come on out and try it out for next year.”
