Whiz Kids: Herrick Boys Volleyball Team

Patch Whiz Kids of the Week: The Herrick Middle School boys eighth-grade volleyball team

Names: Captain Colin Michels, Finn Casey, Tyler Drobnik, Ben Magro, Griffin Emmet, Nic Laio, Max Paradise, Jack Warwick, Michael Procharzka, Bret Pyburn, Costa Sampras, Eric Splavec, Mike Yong, and manager Bob O’Malley. Coach Gail Pistello, assistant coach Matt Cunningham.

School: Herrick Middle School

Accomplishment: First-ever conference title

Key to Awesomeness: For the first time in its 15 -ear history, the Herrick Middle School’s boys volleyball team won first place in its conference.  “Team unity was unbelievable," said Coach Gail Pistello. "They worked hard together and worked well together. They were truly a pleasure to coach.”  Pistello said the boys came into the season with the same goal in mind: to get a conference banner up on the wall. “They heard that from me on Day One,” she said.

What is particularly impressive is that coming into the season last fall, only two of the boys had previously played volleyball. Pistello expects many of the players will continue in the sport at Downers Grove North High School next year.

Boys volleyball seems to be slowly picking up steam. “For some reason it hasn’t really been known as a boys’ sport. We’re selling it hard. It really is for boys, as they need to be strong and they need to jump. It’s a great boys sport,” Pistello said. “The fact that they won the conference, I hope will help to get more boys involved.”

Pistello said that this is a “highlight” of their years at Herrick the boys will always remember. “I told the boys that. Through the years, I’ve had kids come back and say that they were part of a specific title. I’m thrilled that such a nice bunch of boys got to make their mark at Herrick for boys volleyball,” she said.

Herrick Middle School will offer co-ed volleyball summer camps on June 13-17.  Visit www.dg58.org for more information.