Letter: Boys should play volleyball, too

Forty years ago as I grew up nearby, volleyball was considered a girls sport. Today at most area middle schools, girls are entitled to participate in all of the sports offered, including wrestling. In a few area schools, interscholastic volleyball is not available for boys.

Once upon a time, it may have seemed reasonable to offer wrestling for boys and volleyball for girls. Due to decades long growth of boy's volleyball and girl's wrestling, this no longer is appropriate.

Why is volleyball important? Let me give two reasons: It can be played life long and it teaches teamwork.

A local club director encourages parents to get their middle schoolers involved in volleyball as it is a healthy physical activity they are likely to enjoy into their 40s. I point out that a group of us regularly enjoy the sport in our 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and even at the age of 90. Kids learning the sport today will be on the court at their century mark.

With the occasional exception such as Doug Collins' give-the-ball-to-Michael strategy, coaches of all sports preach the value of teamwork. Volleyball teaches teamwork naturally.

The volleyball court is large enough to require a team effort and small enough to foster communication. The timing of the sport allows for brief huddles between points and urgent coordination during play.

Players need to rely on their teammates to guard the floor and set them up in order to succeed.

Volleyball is less about direct confrontation with the opposing team. Instead, gravity is the unrelenting adversary, which necessitates a great degree of cooperation.

The more cooperative focus of the sport is part of the appeal to girls, and lessons of teamwork is something our boys need as well.

Lee Bennett

Palatine

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