Worthington Christian boys volleyball returns an experienced squad from the inaugural year.
The first practice with the fledgling Worthington Christian boys volleyball team started with a pop quiz.
“I remember asking them, ‘So how many players are we supposed to have on the floor?’ Coach Erin Smith said, laughing at the memory. “Only a few of them knew it was six. I knew then we were starting at square one. Some kids came in with no knowledge of the rules or the skills to play. You have to cram a lot of learning into a short period of time.”
The Warriors are starting their second season on much firmer footing. Worthington Christian didn’t lose any players to graduation from its squad that finished 7-12 overall after losing to Hartley 25-14, 25-23, 25-22 in the first round of the Division II tournament.
The Warriors return 13 players and picked up four upperclassmen and eight freshmen.
“We’re going to be so much stronger than we were,” said senior setter and opposite side hitter Dennis Smith, who captains the team with senior Yago Orlando (libero) and junior Asher Gilbert (outside hitter). “We know what we need to work on and we’re getting right back into it.”
“We’re starting to build off the basics we taught them last year,” coach Smith added. “I’m looking forward to being able to work on more tactical skills and mental game.”
Dennis Smith and Gilbert spent part of the offseason working with Advancement Academy, a volleyball club in Lewis Center that traveled across the United States to compete in tournaments.
Even with a rookie team, the Warriors won their inaugural match, sweeping Patriot Prep Academy in all three sets.
“We came into that game pretty excited,” Dennis Smith said. “We knew we had a lot of fans coming to see us play. Winning that first match really benefited us the rest of the season.”
The Warriors return eight seniors — Andrew Gehfeld (DS), Emmanuel Gyapong (MB), Alex Jende (MB/OPP), Yago Orlando (Lib & captain), Isaiah Plummer (MB), Dennis Smith (S), Nelson Stevenson (DS), and Kaiden Walker (OH) — along with juniors Asher Gilbert (OH), Shayden Testa (OPP) and Henry Nicodemus (DS). The coaching staff of Erin Smith, Kate Belfrage, and Alicia O’Roark is excited about the new additions of seniors Daniel Ji, Ethan Carrel, and Brady Lawrence, junior Jacob Sanders, and the eight freshmen.
With a 23-player roster, the team can field a junior varsity squad under O’Roark, giving underclassmen a chance to practice at a higher level.
“It’s like a domino effect. More kids talk about the team, and, as years go on, you’re bringing in younger players,” Dennis Smith said. “Hopefully, the underclassmen will get to see what a higher level of volleyball looks like.”
Coach Smith has adopted 1 Peter 4:10 – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” – as the team’s verse. She hopes the team continues to develop its chemistry and skills.
“A year ago, we had no expectations; now we’ve got pressure to beat what we accomplished in 2025,” she said.
“Volleyball is a game of errors, so having the mental capacity to own mistakes and overcome failure is key.”