The Boro Buzz Episode 8: Setting History- THE First Serve!!

🎙️ Episode 8 is here!
In this episode of The Boro Buzz, we sit down with Head Coach Nick Neighbors and current player Josh Prochnau to talk about the launch of the first-ever men’s volleyball team in Randolph County at Asheboro High School. From building the program from the ground up to setting the culture and expectations, this is a behind-the-scenes look at history in the making.

Get to know the vision, the grind, and what it means to be part of something brand new in the Boro.
🏐 First serve. New era. Let’s go.

Special SHOUT OUT to JUST KEEP SWINGING!! We couldn’t do it without you! Check them out! They do more than just baseball and softball! They have ALL your apparel needs along with baseball and softball equipment for both individuals & facilities. 
Give them a call at (704) 516-2587!

#volleyball #mensvolleyball #asheborohighschool #sports #randolphcounty

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome back to the Borough Bud.

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Borough Nation, and welcome to the Borough Bus. The all-access path to everything sports in and around the borough. We're talking inside the lines and behind the scenes. Athletes, coaches, refs, and the stories you don't hear on game day. If it's happening in the gym, on the field, or in the locker room, you'll hear it here. This is the Borough Bust.

SPEAKER_03 0:28

This episode is sponsored by Just Keep Swinging. From top quality equipment to custom apparel like hats, shirts, and more. They're more than just sporting goods store. They are here to support our athletes and community every step of the way. Whether they're gearing up for game day or looking to wrap your team with fresh merch, just keep swinging has you covered. Give them a follow today. And uh this one, this this episode's actually pretty pretty special. Um it's the first one ever done on a program Ashboro High School has started. Um you think they just keep more and more and more. Now they're adding men's volleyball. And what better way than to bring head coach neighbors into the house? How you doing, coach? Very good. Can you introduce us who you brought with you today? Uh so this is Josh.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

He is a senior at Ashboro High School.

SPEAKER_03 1:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

So he, I mean, this is his first year playing. Um, and so far, I mean, I think he's enjoyed it a lot. Uh seems to be learning a lot.

SPEAKER_03 1:21

So and what's crazy uh about this is uh I don't I mean, I don't know. I d I I think it's really cool because we play it in PE all the time, and there's so many you know men that really were talented. I remember when I was in school at volleyball, I used to love it. I remember we had uh intramurals and I had uh Miss McKee shout out, um was our eighth grade uh intramural coach, and we won in volleyball. It was me, John Thornburg, uh a bunch of really talented um guys, and it was like when I got to high school, I was like, that'd be a cool sport to play, but it never was offered. Right. So where did where did this, you know, first question is how did this come come to be?

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Uh gosh. Uh so you know, I have played uh since I was 19, and so I'm turning 38 next month. Um, so it's always been a passion of mine, just in general, to go ahead and like get this started. Um, you know, a few years back, Owen George, um, him and I were talking, and we I I was like, hey, like, do you think this could ever be a thing? Um and he said, you know, it it definitely probably could at some point, you know, just not right now. Uh so you know, that was kind of the starting point. Like each year I just kept bugging people, like, hey, do you think this could be a thing? Like, you know, this is growing. It's always been kind of a thing in the north. Um, and high schools in the north have always had uh men's volleyball. Like some of the guys that I played with in college, they you know, they came from the north. Um and they were like, Yeah, like we played in high school. And I was like, that that's amazing. Like that, you know, that's an opportunity that I didn't have. It sounds like you didn't have it, you know, um, when we went through high school. So it was always something that I was like pushing for. Um, so about maybe September, October of last year, uh Coach Barrier approached uh me and he was like, Hey, like, you know, this is this is on the way. Do you think like this is something that you know could get started? And I was like, absolutely. Like, I think that would be, you know, if we can get the interest, if we can build and and start now before, you know, everybody else is starting, like, let's go ahead and get everybody. Yeah. Like any anything extra, like these younger, the, you know, I I say Josh is a senior, but like we've got a freshman on the team, we've got sophomores. Like, if I can go ahead and get them started before this is official and this is a thing.

SPEAKER_03 3:36

I saw you recruiting the basketball players too. Joel Barrett Riggins on the team, I see.

SPEAKER_02 3:39

Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, he is, I mean, how tall is he? Like six four, six five? He's like five inches taller than me. So how tall are you? I'm six one. So, like, I I mean that that's a huge like the offense at the net. Like, yeah, um, absolutely, like those are the kind of guys like um that I want, like the athletes, you know, I can I can I can work and turn anybody into a volleyball player if they have the drive. Um, but like I can't teach height. You can't teach height. I learned that as a coach, you can't, yeah. I try to stretch them out, you know, whatever it just don't work. It just does not work. So, like to to uh even see them just coming out trouts and be like, yeah, you're probably gonna make the team, you know. Like, you know, I'm whispering to my assistant coach Sean Murphy, like, oh God, like we gotta take this guy. Like, he he just walks in the gym and you know, you it just breeze athletes. Um, so uh, you know, but you just see these tall athletes walk in the gym and you're like, they're definitely gonna like we have to take these guys. Yeah. Um, so yeah, like uh but going back to the story previously, like um, you know, Barry approached me about it, and uh so we just started getting the ball rolling really on um, you know, holding an interest meeting, um, and then seeing like you know, I I've gotta there's so many ducks you've got to start in a row to to get to where you want to be. So it was just like check checklist, you know. Um, but yeah, we had the interest meeting, uh like a hundred guys showed up in the room. Like those yeah, we had like the small classroom and like they just kept coming in. I was like, like, dang, like, are are we gonna have to like hold another one? Like, yeah, what is this gonna be? Um, no, at one point, like I was like, hey, just push in, push to the back. I'll stand over here in the corner and give them a little presentation on what men's volleyball is, and you know, we'll go from there. But yeah, there was a ton of interest.

SPEAKER_03 5:29

And that's what's crazy. Uh that you're getting to be a part of this, and uh we'll come back to that. But Josh, what what excitement when you heard about this? What drew you to go and want to try this out?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

Well, I've always um liked volleyball. I've played with my friends before, stuff like that. Um actually when I was a freshman, I tried to start a petition to get men's volleyball at Nashboro. Oh wow, okay. But I never really went anywhere. But I started a petition, I've always complained to my friends, like, hey, I wish we had a volleyball team. And so when I when I saw on like Instagram, I was like, I thought it was a joke. Um I was like, oh, it's actually like an actual thing. And so I had to like I had to go.

SPEAKER_03 5:59

I was yeah, so he's like, this Castleway Wilson! So what uh when you walked in there, did you tell your friends about it? Uh how did all these people do or did they just come on their own, or did you start trying to persuade some people?

SPEAKER_01 6:11

I've played a lot of my friends before. Um so of course I told them, I was like, have you seen the like in an Instagram? And some of them were like, No, I haven't. So I showed them. Um so a couple, I guess I told them about being how they such a saw, but I I've seen some people like I've never interacted with at Ashboro. So it's really cool just to get that experience.

SPEAKER_03 6:29

And and usually what's funny, Nick, is like, and you can play out this too, Josh, but like for something starting, you don't really expect a lot of interest. You feel like you have to go almost like not recruit, but recruit in a way the students in your school to come out and do this.

SPEAKER_02 6:42

100%. Like that was my concern at first. I was like, gosh, you know, if I can have 30 people at the interest meeting, if I can start there, like I have to have seven on the court, you know, I have to have six and then a libero. Like that's my goal. So seven on the court, that's all I need. You know, if I get one body here, like one body there, like, okay, great. You know, we can start there. But then, like, like I said, like Josh looked at me during the interest meeting and he was like, I'm nervous, I'm not gonna make the team. And I was like, you should be. There's a hundred guys walking in this room right now. So yeah, it was I mean, it just kind of took off right there. And it it's so funny too, because you know, Josh mentioned like right there that you know, he doesn't know any of these guys, but like our practice last night, I I thought it was the best chemistry like I could have asked for, just starting off right now. Like everybody was so supportive, like this group of guys, like they just they were like feeding into each other and they were like challenging each other just just right there at the at in practice, and we haven't even played a game yet, you know. So just to see that and watch that just evolve so quickly, yeah. It's like, yeah, y'all, y'all probably probably don't know each other, um, but y'all y'all are already like bonding as a team.

SPEAKER_03 7:49

Well, I love that you got the swag on already you're rocking. And uh so how will the how will the season before I actually shoot your next question, Josh? How's it how many game matches will you guys play? I see I'm so used to saying games, but it's matches. I know y'all got onto me and your girls are like, don't say spike. It's not games, it's matches. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Um so right now we're scheduled 14. Um that's pretty solid for yeah, which is just our starting season. You know, I talked to um our AD and I was like, hey, like I don't want to push too much. Like I I really care about practice time this year. Like, yeah, the games are important, but like I have to start developing first um because these guys have never played organized volleyball before. Like I call it jungle volleyball, like what you play at the YMC, like where the ball goes over. The ball goes over and then it goes over again and then it goes over, like, and that could last for you know three minutes. But like you know, competitive volleyball, like you're putting the ball away, like, and it takes time to teach people how to do that. Um so yeah, like that that's my goal is to develop develop right now.

SPEAKER_03 8:50

Uh Josh, off of that, um, you know, you say you like volleyball, but how much have you learned from coach already in this? And uh talk about the team chemistry already, because uh I mean you mentioned that you think you're gonna you think you're gonna surprise some people this year. I think so. I think so.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Yeah. Yeah, well uh the team chemistry, um, kind of like he was saying, like, I feel like because there was so many of us that tried out, like he he chose the best like 20 that came to tryouts. How many of you guessed that were at tryouts? If you had to guess, I think they're like 30. Yeah, I think we're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

That's pretty awesome.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

So you take the best 20. And so obviously we all we all want to be there, we all want to work. So I I think that definitely adds to like the the chemistry because we all want to work and we all want to make sure we're getting the best we can, getting all the hits in and stuff. Um what was the second part of your question again?

SPEAKER_03 9:34

Um the other part is like what's the team like right now, the personalities and everything. Is it the chemistry pretty good now? I know you mentioned the beginning you didn't know who they were. Now that you got a few practices in, what what is it like the team?

SPEAKER_01 9:44

Oh yeah, it's it's it's really great. I'm I didn't I don't I don't know most people who um like started, but like now I've talked with them and like we've been getting hits and stuff like that. I feel like I'm I feel like I've known them for like a year or something now, but I'm only enough today. It's like Joel. Yeah, I had to miss a couple practices, but I came in back on Monday. I had never never seen Joel, but I feel like we just instantly like clicked clicked.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

Yeah. He's a good guy, man. I love me some Joel Barrett Riggins. Um and uh Nick, like coach, like what to do this, because people don't know this. Well, some people do, but some people that are watching this are learning about volleyball. You're also the JV head girls coach and varsity girls assistant and head middle school science coach. Um have you are you bringing any of your verse varsity girls to come help you to kind of help these guys learn the like you said, the competitiveness of it?

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Yeah, so um every I think every varsity girl at like reached out to me and they're like, hey, we want to come help. And I was like, okay, well, I first off, I gotta make sure you're there for the right reasons. Like, you know, you're not gonna get the playing time that you want just being in practice, you know. Like, I want to make sure like you're helping develop this program as well. So I have three, three solid girls that are like, Yeah, we'll come help, we'll come, we'll come toss balls, like whatever you need us to do. Um, which is like, you know, it's very nice. But there was there was a ton of like people would just message me, like, hey, can we please help? Can we please help? And I was like, I really don't know what I need right now. Uh, but once I do, like, I'll let you know. But you know, you know who are those three?

SPEAKER_03 11:06

Can you name them for us?

SPEAKER_02 11:07

Um, Leah George. Okay. Yeah. I mean, yeah, yeah. Awesome, great volleyball player. Yeah, great volleyball player. Like, I feel like I could, she's quiet, but I feel like I could like throw her over there and be like, hey, teach those people, you know.

SPEAKER_03 11:17

She teaching that spike that she has, man. Oh, it's what is it? It's not a dead what is it called? It's not a spike hit hit, that hit.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

It's been really it's really helpful like having the girls there because like they actually know what they're doing. And so like every bit of information I always make sure I take it all in because it's really helpful.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

Immicate Forrester. Okay, another great one. Yeah, yeah. Big middle at Ashborough this year.

SPEAKER_03 11:36

We did a spotlight on her this year. Yeah, and Leah George was the athlete of month for us now.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

Absolutely. So two like right away, like of our top athletes. That's what I was like, yeah. Like, I think y'all would be very helpful. Like, Emma Kate can teach, you know, the middles if I need her to, like, hey, let me go work with these. Um, and then we have Addy Shear.

SPEAKER_03 11:53

Okay. Addie, I like Addy basketball, volleyball, everything. She plays a little, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

And and she was like, Can I please come help? And I was like, Yeah, I think you're, you know, I think you would also be a big fan.

SPEAKER_03 12:03

And she's young, so you'll have her for another year if she's gonna help next year.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

Yeah. So those are the kind of things I look forward to. Is like, you know, who can keep helping me? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:10

So what are these jerseys gonna look like? Have we seen them yet?

SPEAKER_02 12:13

We have. We took our our senior pictures. Um Okay. I mean, Josh, do you want to describe them?

SPEAKER_01 12:19

Um, so like they're like I was like a tank top, but like they don't have like their cut out. It's like sleeveless. Sleeveless. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 12:25

Hey, sun's out, guns out. I know what the old saying is right here.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

I think I think they look pretty cool.

SPEAKER_03 12:29

So you got well, you got a senior right here, and dude, uh, I know it stinks that this it didn't happen until your senior year, but it's gotta be something special this year to be a part of the first ever men's volleyball in Randolph County.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

Yeah, yeah, it's definitely like I I knew we were the first one at Ashboro, but I had no idea we were the first in Randolph County. When I heard that, I was just like, wow, like I it made me want to work even harder because like I knew like I have to like prove something, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 12:52

So and that's what's cool because I feel like in coach, you can play off of this. I think that being the first to start it is gonna set a train in Randolph County.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

I I that's what I want. Like, honestly, like I'm not trying to hoard everything for myself. Like, yeah, I want other people to go, wait, like men's volleyball can be a thing, and we can continue to push this. Like, my biggest thing is like I want to give opportunity to kids like that didn't have this opportunity, right? So let's go ahead and like get those guys in and and let them know, like, hey, you can you can you can continue to go far with volleyball, like you could go to college, like yeah, there's already a college that follows us on Instagram. Oh wow, yeah. Um, I don't remember which college it was. Um, but like it it's in care, it's in North Carolina. So um, but like you know, this could be a big thing. Like, absolutely Southwest should make a team, absolutely Randall Men should make a team. There's there's been guys on our our our Instagram post from Randleman and they're like, hey, can can we join your team? No, but you know, like thanks, you know. Like, um, so yeah, like I I I want this to grow in the area. Um, I don't want to hoard it for myself. Like, I'd love to see it to get bigger.

SPEAKER_03 13:55

So I love that. I love that. And uh I'll play it off of that. Uh what can you name some of the teams we can expect you to play this year?

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Yeah, um, so right away we're paying, we're playing uh Page High School.

SPEAKER_03 14:06

Okay. Um looking at your schedule, I can't remember the name. Some of the teams I was actually some of the schools I was shocked that had it, I didn't know they had it.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Yeah, yeah. Ours, I don't think we're going Leford.

SPEAKER_03 14:16

Um is it Dudley or Smith that has it?

SPEAKER_02 14:18

Smith.

SPEAKER_03 14:19

Smith. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

Yeah. Yeah, I just saw a post there. I mean, they're already playing. I wanted to keep our season a little later so that I could get these guys in and start developing first so that I don't throw them out there and they're like lost.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

How would that work tournament wise? Well, eventually there'll be a state playoff or how does that work?

SPEAKER_02 14:33

Um, I think state playoff is May 4th. Okay. Yeah. May 4th. And uh we just kind of see where we fall, and uh, but uh we do we will have playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 14:44

Okay, and question for you do you play any other sports?

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Yeah, I play tennis and I also do swimming. Okay. So uh it's kind of funny because tennis and white bar are the same like season. So I'm I'm do I'm do dual sport right now.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

You dual sporting? Wow, Coach Moore's letting you is Coach Moore still helping or is it Walker?

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Yeah, more is still doing it.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

Yeah, so he's letting you uh hang out over here with the volleyball too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:04

And that was kind of my thing when I approached uh R80 about it. I was like, hey, like, is it okay if I pull from other sports? Like, and he was like, Yeah, you can pull from everything but baseball. And I was like, okay, like I I can make that work.

SPEAKER_03 15:15

Like come on, Coach May, we need we need right, come on.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

But like baseball, you know, they're there's they're so busy. Um, you know, maybe if I held practices a little later, like I can catch some of the tennis guys. Yeah, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

That's kind of cool. And uh for you, dude, uh, which I heard there's a y'all got a pretty pretty cool uh swim coach. Yeah, he's alright.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

He's okay. He's okay.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

Um and playing off of that, I mean your senior year, man, you're now a three sport athlete. How cool is that?

SPEAKER_01 15:41

That's I mean, it's really cool. Um, it's even cooler because I'm gonna get three banners, and also I'm getting a fourth one because they just they did um band banners this year too, and I'm also in the marching band.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:50

So I don't say four and marching is not a sport, but um I mean I see them summer uh them boot camps y'all do.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Holy cow, it's hot.

SPEAKER_01 15:57

My band director might kill me for saying that, but I don't like the sport.

SPEAKER_03 16:00

But um we're not gonna tell Tucker. We're gonna work.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Um but it's really cool getting like four banners and obviously playing three sports. Um just playing two, it's been really cool. I it the I've been tired a lot, obviously, and then the the scheduling kind of sucks sometimes because there's some overlap. Yeah, and some more kind of to make some decisions there, but it's still really cool just being able to do so much. I guess it's my senior year, I feel like a lot more free time. So to be a part of everything.

SPEAKER_03 16:26

And uh your last question before I ask Coach his, um, and we get to the fun little uh I have a fun segment called Quick Hitters where you gotta answer them and don't really think. Um but uh first um as you do you do you see yourself when you go to college? What's next for Josh after he graduates?

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Um so um I've already been accepted to uh NC State for engineering.

SPEAKER_03 16:44

Coach Nance must have got excited. We were recording with him right before this. If you do see no you're going, you should have told him that'd have been that good.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

But I'm going there. Um I've heard from my friends who've gone there before and people who graduated uh from there um that NC State's like really big for volleyball, even if not competitive, just like they have a bunch of courts all over the campus. Yeah. So that's something I'm looking forward to.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

I would like to try to get involved in some sort of competitive volleyball, but um so the NC State they do have a men's team, yeah, um a club team. We've we played them when I was at UNC.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

Really? Oh really?

SPEAKER_02 17:14

They're pretty good.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Okay. Pretty good. Okay. I'm gonna try to do uh probably tennis and volleyball in college.

SPEAKER_03 17:18

So you are you putting them on the Vertimax, coach?

SPEAKER_02 17:22

Not yet. You know, we haven't been able we're we're we're we're working on passing right now.

SPEAKER_03 17:26

Like start right here. Give me time, coach.

SPEAKER_02 17:29

Here, but that might be a summer kind of thing. Let's walk before we run, right? We just learned what peppering was the other day, like you know, just warming our bodies up. So, like, yeah, but it's it's we're bare minimum right now.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

Okay. Alright, so here's our quick little one-hitter, either one of you can answer these questions. Um, who's the funniest on the team? Oh gosh. I don't know. That's a good question. I have no idea.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

Uh let me think.

SPEAKER_01 17:55

Oh gosh. I think Darien's pretty funny.

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Darien is pretty funny.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

But he's like very dry humored. It's pretty it's pretty funny.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

I think honestly, I think he's gotten hurt the most in project so far. Oh wow. Yeah, laughing because of him and laughing at him have both. I mean, the first first day of tryouts, like he broke his finger.

SPEAKER_03 18:11

Oh no.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

So broke his pinky. I you know, I saw the X-ray, um, and I was like, oh, that's you know, that's bad. So yeah. He's still out there though. So yep, yep.

SPEAKER_03 18:19

And uh what's the funniest moment you've already had at practice? Darien falling on his head.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

Yep, he fell, you know. So Darien's a common theme. Slipped on water in the middle of the gym. Like, yeah, don't know how it happened.

SPEAKER_03 18:32

And for you, off of men's, because I don't know if this has happened yet, it could have been, but what's the funniest excuse you've heard for being late for practice?

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Oh gosh. Uh I mean, uh, I heard Nance earlier saying about the hair, but I mean, just like, hey, we you know, we we have we have prom tonight, so I'm gonna I'm not gonna be there on time. Like okay, like, or or you know, they've got their what is a homecoming, like homecoming dances tonight. Okay, like great, you're an athlete. Like you're gonna have to suck it up and like be here, you know. It's it's always an excuse, especially from the girls. Haven't heard too many from the guys yet that are like noteworthy, but the girls they definitely throw.

SPEAKER_03 19:10

I had one that told me he didn't he uh he didn't want to sweat before his band concert. I said, sorry, like wipe there's paper towels right there, wipe your sweat off, dude. Like I wasn't gonna come to practice. Well, you're gonna come to practice.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 19:21

Coach, w for the the eighth grader in middle school that's watching this, um you're getting I've seen, you know, I coach at ma'ams and I've seen volleyball is a big thing there. A lot of the boys like to play it. Yeah, um, they usually play that or they'll do basketball and pee or soccer. Um how are you gonna how do they find out more about this information? How can they support? Um, how do they get involved? How do they learn about, you know, are you gonna do summer stuff with this?

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Like um honestly, I think one they should follow us on Instagram because you know that's gonna give out all of our information, like when tryouts are, um, you know, considering workouts, getting those preseason workouts in. Um but starting there is like following us to um and then talking, talking to people, talking to your PE teachers, talking to other coaches. Um go ahead and ask them, like, hey, uh you know, I would love to play, I'd love to play volleyball. You know, Kelly Kelly Smith over there at NAMS, like she's been a huge advocate for volleyball, just in general too. Like, so you know, talking to those important people and saying, like, do you think I could do this? What season is it? Um, you know, it is baseball season, so you know, those guys that play baseball, they're gonna have to choose next year. Yeah, you know, Josh is playing two sports right now. Next year he's gonna have to choose because we're gonna keep growing and we're gonna be bigger. Um and then coming to tryouts, come in, come in and doing any summer workouts.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

Are you gonna offer summer workouts for these kids? Potentially a couple?

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Yeah, like it would be a great opportunity.

SPEAKER_03 20:44

You should have them skirmish to girls. I'd love to see that. That'd be fun.

SPEAKER_02 20:47

It's it's a great like thing for our women's program as well. Like if you get this guy in in the gym against girls, um, like what a great way to learn for those girls. Like taking like a powerful hit and just digging, digging every time. Like, yeah, it's a great opportunity.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

I'll say if you can dig off of a spike from you know him and Joel, like that's gotta be, especially what I hear about you, Josh. Like, it's gotta be when you go into your competition, your conference, it's probably easy.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Yeah. But then like the the flip side of that is like these guys watching the girls and going wait, like they pass so well.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Like, you know, that's what the fundamental side of more they learn so it's kind of a piggyback off of both fundamentals. They learn the strength, how to handle the strength from the boys, and then the women learn they're teaching the men how to do the fundamentals from absolutely baby steps.

SPEAKER_02 21:30

Yeah, you can I mean you can watch and you can learn from anybody. So I think I think really it's just gonna help our program just to grow.

SPEAKER_03 21:37

I'm excited. I got two last questions. One, how would you encourage that kid that's hesitant, that is in eighth grade or in high school, that didn't try out this year because they were either one nervous or two, they just did they just didn't feel the confidence, well, nervous slash confidence to do it.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Um, I would say just go for it. Um, like this year, even with volleyball, I've just felt like during volleyball, I've been like, oh, I've had times where like Like, I'm not gonna make the team, I'm not good enough to be on the starting lineup or whatever. But you know, I've put myself out there and I've really tried and hustled to try and um make the team and stuff like that. But also, if like you're an eighth grader, like ask your friends. Like, there's so many times I've never thought people would want to play volleyball, they'd even like volleyball. And I'd be like, hey, you want to play volleyball? Like, yeah, I love volleyball. So just ask people. Like, if you put yourself out there and you ask people, you never like you're gonna get a yes more times you get a no.

SPEAKER_03 22:25

So I love it. My last question before we sign off on this episode of the Burrow Buzz, uh, talk about coach neighbors. Which one? This one. Not the swim coach. We know we know Chuck. We love Chuck, but I want to hear about this coach because I I've known him for a few years, and it's funny because I, you know, I got to know him through actually Kelly Smith um when I before Chuck, even though Chuck actually trained me as a lifeguard. Um really? Yeah. So I was a lifeguard when I was 15, and Chuck actually did I get my certification through him. I remember him having to drown me and had to do the proper way to get out of a distress drowner. Um, but talk about uh Coach Nick Neighbors here and what he what how special of a coach he is and what he's doing for you. I'd be honest with you, a lot of people don't realize he does, and I miss one. He's varsity assistant, JV head for women, men's head, middle school head, and zoo city head volleyball coach. He's coaching five teams, and the fact that he's willing to take on this fifth one that has mean a lot to you guys.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

I mean, yeah, um I've just like how patient he is. Like I've I've taught people how to play different like tennis before and different sports. Like, I think I would lose my mind if I had to because he he's really good. Like he's really good at volleyball, obviously. If I would I would go crazy if I had to teach people who never even touched a volleyball before how to play volleyball. It's the his patience is it astounds me every single day.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

So probably it's so funny because like one of my assistant coaches for my travel team, she said, How many times are you gonna tell that girl where to go? And I said, Guess 200, maybe like 200 until she gets it. Like eventually it's going to stick, you know? Yeah. Um, but like the you know, this is this is a group of really like coachable guys, and I think that's really important. Like they're listening to the things I'm telling them. Maybe we don't fix it right away, but like I said, I'll say it 200 times till you get it.

SPEAKER_03 24:06

I love it. I love it. And uh are we gonna see uh are we gonna have to pick on the zoo city uh directors and stuff and get a men's volleyball for Zoo City?

SPEAKER_02 24:12

So I actually tried to start one last year. That was my that was my initial. Um I almost had a 12U team because I was like, man, those boys are gonna grow up like they can be your feeder program right there. Absolutely. Um, but I couldn't get the interest. So I'm hoping they were gonna see this and they're gonna go, wait, like this is something. Um I I I do hope that it's going to grow. So I mean it's grown, it's huge here.

SPEAKER_01 24:35

Volleyball is huge in this area. I didn't realize.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

I'm gonna keep advocating for it.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

So I was thinking it's huge. Like I there's some people like they love volleyball, and like I had no idea, so yeah, it's huge here.

SPEAKER_02 24:45

It's unfortunate this county is like great at volleyball. Yeah, so like just the county itself, like everybody here, like you know, you got Southwest who's a big hitter, you got Randleman, yeah, who's a big hitter, you got UCA, like and Ashboro too. Like, we're all just trying to build our programs as as best we can.

SPEAKER_03 25:02

I love it, and I want to thank both of y'all for being on this episode and uh remind everybody this episode was sponsored by Just Keep Swinging uh for all your apparel. They actually they do more than just softball and baseball, they do your merch, they can do jerseys, hoodies. They actually did this pullover I'm wearing right now for my company, Corey Eye Media. Um maybe we'll get Nick to have to come check them out too and get some swag for Ashboro uh men's volleyball. Um but I want to thank you both for being here. And as we is there any last words before I you know sign off that you want to tell anybody that's listening that we maybe didn't touch on about men's volleyball? I can't think of anything. I don't know. Uh long live volleyball. I don't know. Be be there. And uh I think that we need to pack it out, and I think we need to get to a practice and uh film some stuff just so I can see my own eyes. Please.

SPEAKER_02 25:44

Please come on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:46

Awesome. I love it. I'll be there. You just gotta tell me the time, text me the times, coach. Um but uh thank you for watching the Burrow Buzz. Uh I appreciate Coach and uh Josh being on this. Make sure you tune it. Follow them on Instagram. We're at, did we say it was uh men's vault? Was it Ashbro.mv MVB. Okay, and make sure you message them, tell them you're interested. Um come out and support them. And uh we want to thank you all. Make sure you like, subscribe, share, share, share so we can get this word out, and we'll see you next time on the Burrow Buzz. This episode is sponsored by Just Keep Swinging. From top quality equipment to custom apparel like hats, shirts, and more. They're more than just sporting goods store. They are here to support our athletes and community every step of the way. Whether you're gearing up for game day or looking to rep your team with fresh merch, just keep swinging has you covered. Give them a follow today.