Boys volleyball: Motyka makes all the difference for Leyden

Mike Motkya is being honored for his standout 2017 season as captain of the Daily Herald's Northwest boys volleyball all-area team.

It also functions as a kind of a career achievement award for Leyden's senior setter, who has been getting the job done on multiple fronts for the Eagles since his freshman season.

Motyka has enjoyed four years of excellence not only on the court, but also in the classroom.

In competition this season, he finished with 379 assists with a 32.1 percent efficiency rating, while also getting 40 kills, 92 blocks and 36 aces while leading his team to a regional boys volleyball title.

Outside of the gym, the awards and participation are almost too numerous to mention. Among the highlights: Motyka is on the all-academic team, is an AP scholar, has earned the school Citizen of the Year award, is a Heisman School winner and is on the NHS West Suburban Conference Leadership team.

He even used his drawing and artistic ability to design the logo for the team's warmups this year.

"Hands down, he's been involved in everything at Leyden," said Eagles coach Michelle Mueller. "Mike is one of the best leaders I've ever seen, and he uses those leadership skills in the right way. On the court, his teammates see the confidence that he has in his own ability and he uses the skills that he has to make our team better."

"He has been the heart and soul of our team. Mike is the one that runs our offense and makes it happen, and he allowed us to push the tempo and skill of each player on the court. Not only is his setting fantastic but his defense, digging and blocking are phenomenal as well."

According to Motyka, he couldn't wait to get the season started from the very first practice this year.

"I felt like it was my time to step up and take over," said the senior. "I knew the game more than ever this year and I wanted to work with the guys, build relationships with them, try to make them better and in that way become a better player and leader by learning from them.

"Building relationships with your teammates is the best way to foster a good team atmosphere."

All of the team-building success culminated in one of the best Leyden seasons in recent memory, capped off when the Eagles defeated Fenwick 27-25, 21-25, 25-19 at the Friars' regional championship match.

"From the beginning of the season, that regional championship was our goal," said Motyka. "That's what we really wanted and it's great winning something and knowing that all the hard work we put in paid off."

"At the end of the day," added Motyka, "I was told by my coach (Mueller) that I helped to change the culture of the Leyden volleyball program. I feel like I made an impact, and that's what I want to do at the next level as well."

Motyka came from what he called a "baseball family" - he and his siblings all played - but got interested in volleyball in the latter stages of grade school and because of his height (he's now 6-foot-3), he originally played outside hitter.

But that changed when he got to Leyden.

"My coach at the time (Matt Figiel) told me I had great hands for the setter position and a great volleyball IQ," said Motkya, "and he told me that a change in position would be good for me, especially if I wanted to play in college. Most great setters in college are 6-2 or 6-3, while most great college outside hitters are 6-5 or 6-6, so my changing to setter definitely worked out for the best."

It certainly worked out well for Leyden as Motyka was team captain for the last three seasons, and the position switchup proved good for Motkya as well as he will go on to attend Carthage College in Kenosha Wisconsin this fall and compete for the volleyball team, where he says his "goal is to win a national championship."

He'll also take on some challenging class work as well, with a goal of becoming a child psychologist.

"I did a lot of peer group work at Leyden," said Motyka, "working with kids and dealing with their problems and personal issues. I guess you could say that for four years I was a mini-counselor. I like the feel of it.

"After graduation I hope to come back to the high school environment and work as a counselor and a coach."

Motyka has enjoyed some stellar successes being part of the Leyden program, but he says the best came at this year's senior night match.

"The week of that game I was suffering through a foot injury," said the senior, "but that night I decided that I was going to play no matter what. I just taped it up and went out there, it was an incredible match, and I remember going up with one of my hitters and both of us putting the ball down for the final point. That was a great moment."

And according to coach Mueller, many more great moments are yet to come for one of the best-ever players in Leyden history.

"The leadership skills that Mike has learned are going to translate into future success, I'm sure of it," said Mueller. "He has a passion for everything he does."