Flower Mound High School is sporting a new men’s volleyball team after enough interest was shown to start with a club sport. The coaches of the school rushed at the possibility of giving the males an opportunity after the idea came up late last school year.
     “It was thrown together quickly last minute,” Flower Mound   Head Volleyball Coach Marci Laracuente said.
     Coach Laracuente explained that it is not an official team, however, it is run as a club sport like the lacrosse and hockey teams, where they fund their own uniforms and equipment. There is a chance students from all over Lewisville ISD could play, but it all depends on the interest. The team has already played in tournaments against similar teams from other schools, such as Jesuit, Lovejoy, Aledo, Cantons, and Prosper.
     “We’ve had a lot of interest,” Laracuente said. “We had a lot of older boys. There were 8 or 9 of them [playing in the tournament].”
     Despite older Flower Mound boys playing, they were still the youngest competitors.
     “Ours was the youngest, which is good,” Laracuente said. “They’ll get better and better each year.”
     The boys have the Texas Boys Varsity Volleyball League to thank. The league was started by passionate male volleyball players who played the sport in college. They then wanted to spread the sport, which was not yet entirely popular among males. The league also offers free clinics in the fall. In addition to free clinics, Coach Josh Crouch has volunteered his time to teach the men's team.
     "He’s passionate to get it started,” Laracuente said.
     Coach Crouch is passionate about volleyball, and has played since senior year in high school.
     “I played in high school and fell in love with it,” Crouch said. “I ended up playing in my professional two man beach volleyball team for several years.”
     Crouch was able to travel the world for his passion, playing in Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.
     “It basically became a lifestyle for me,” Crouch said.
     After 23 years of playing volleyball, Coach Crouch wanted to help, and explained the intent was to give boys an outlet to play, even if they are unable to get men’s volleyball to be a UIL sport.
     Crouch explained that interest has gone through the roof, and while unsure if it will become a UIL sport anytime soon, is positive it will become more popular as an extracurricular activity.
     “I know it,” Crouch said. “Without a doubt it will.”
     Crouch is holding hope however, and brought up how soccer was not a UIL sport for 73 years. Kids would have to travel out of state to play it. Then, the UIL held its first soccer championships in 1983. He hopes the growing interest will convince school boards and the UIL to eventually officially adopt it.
     “How can we not be providing this for boys?” Crouch said. “We got to at least give our best effort.”
     There are scholarships for men’s volleyball, and with the growing opportunities, students may be able to earn one doing what they love.
     “I want to give back to the game that’s given me so much,” Crouch said.