LAFAYETTE — Lafayette Jeff boys volleyball coach Gail Gripe shared the news with her son JT on the phone and couldn't wait to deliver what the Indiana Men's Volleyball Coaches Association has been chasing for 30 years. .
After all, it was JT who inspired Gripe to take this position and become one of the leading coaches and ambassadors for boys volleyball in the state.
“I think that was the moment for me when he walked up to me,” Gripe said. “He said, Mom, I like playing with the girls, but I was wondering if there was a boys team I could play on too.”
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JT Gripe was a first-year student who practiced constantly with his older sister, Mandy, who is four years older.
The dream of men's volleyball being accepted into Indiana's leading amateur sports organization has become a reality as the IHSAA announced it will recognize the sport along with women's wrestling for the 2023-2024 season.
“It's been a long time coming,” said Gripe, who has coached the Lafayette Jeff men's volleyball program since its inception in 1994. “I'm proud considering the ups and downs we've been through. “We will overcome the coronavirus and sports.” There was little interest in the fact that the actual growth around the state was amazing. ”
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Interest in boys high school volleyball skyrocketed in 2019. In 2019, there were only 37 teams, which has since expanded to 127 teams.
“We've been on the back foot, so it's been bad for us,” Harrison volleyball coach Christy Hostetler said. “These are athletes who didn't play a spring sport. So we're not just talking about random players coming in, we're talking about players coming in who didn't have a spring sport. So now they're going to be able to play in spring sports and bring that athleticism to the game. ”
The IHSAA's addition of men's volleyball speaks to the growing interest in Indiana and across the nation, as well as the history Gripe has upheld.
According to the NFHS, the number of players participating in men's volleyball increased by more than 10,000 for the 2022-2023 season.
Indiana University of Fort Wayne and Ball State University are two Division I programs, and local Wabash College added a men's volleyball program in 2021. Wabash College holds his 15-11 record in 2024 and is led by former Lafayette Jeffs player Ashawn Baker.
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Also part of Baker's coaching staff is current Central Catholic women's volleyball coach Brad McCarter. He is also a Lafayette Jeff alumnus and serves as the men's director of the Boiler Juniors Volleyball Club.
“Ball State University, the University of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Wabash College have all contributed significantly to driving this surge,” Professor McCarter said. “It really increased the exposure, like the women's game, with the game being shown on national television. It really increased the interest.”
Lafayette Jeff Jr., across from Kevin Braxton, discovered the sport while attending Tecumseh Middle School. Currently, he is one of the murderous leaders of the Bronchos.
“I have more opportunities to strive for something,” Braxton said.
The path to youth volleyball becoming an IHSAA accredited sports club traces back to Gripe. She still remembers when she was little and saw the disappointment on her face when her son first had nowhere to play.
JT Gripe became an All-American volleyball player and helped Lafayette Jeff win one of three state titles.
“Indiana's growth is exciting,” said Gail Grip, who continues to lead Lafayette Jeff. “And things are only going to get better.”
Ethan Hanson is a sports reporter for the Journal and Courier in Lafayette. You can contact him at:ehanson@gannett.comon Twitter Ethan Hansonand on Instagram Ethan A Hanson.