In the brightly illuminated gymnasium, amidst the echoing of volleyball players’ sneakers squeaking against the polished floor, one player stands out with an aura of tenacity. Kyle Johnson (’24) navigates the court with grace and precision, a result of years of dedicated practice.  

Kyle’s stint in volleyball started when his tutor suggested that he take up the sport in his sophomore year, the first year his class came out of online school. While he played other sports before, Kyle took a good amount of time to develop his skills. He improved his volleyball abilities by playing with more experienced players.

“I was always playing with people better than me,” Kyle said. “That’s how I improved so fast. When you’re playing against people who are just better than you, it pushes you to get better and forces you to work hard.”

To Kyle, the community interactions he has on a daily basis made him stick with the sport. While the previous sports he partook in felt very solitary, the team environment of volleyball keeps him engaged and coming back.  

“In baseball, you have a team, but still, it’s more individual,” Kyle said. “You’re not super close to your team. In volleyball, it’s unique, everyone needs to work together. It’s really fun, and everyone lifts each other up.”

Kyle builds a strong relationship with his team, allowing him to derive more enjoyment from the sport. His team dynamics contribute to the camaraderie they have during games.

“It was just so fun,” Kyle said. “I played other sports most of my life, but I didn’t have as much fun as this one. From the start, I felt like a connection to it. You [get] close to your teammates. It’s different from any other sport.”

Kyle formed close bonds with teammate Zachary Blue (’24) through their time playing together, both in school and at their club. Their friendship grew stronger as they spent time with each other outside of matches and on the Harker team. 

“He’s changed a lot because before he started playing volleyball and before I started talking to him, he was a very timid person,” Zachary said. “He’s really shy for someone who’s really big. I think with me being a really big influence on him, especially as a friend and in volleyball, I helped him become more talkative and more open to other people. I think that’s because of Kyle and because he was able to be so open to other people that he became that way.” 

Kyle felt this connection strongly during his first season of volleyball in his sophomore year. He built lasting friendships with the other sophomore players as well as the seniors. The seniors on that first team created a supportive environment for newcomers like Kyle. 

“There were a ton of seniors on that team,” Kyle said. “I didn’t know any of them at all at first, but they were just super welcoming. It was also emotional. The whole team was, during our last match of the season, knowing we wouldn’t get to see them.”

In addition to playing volleyball at Harker, Kyle also plays volleyball in a club. The intense and challenging environment of club volleyball pushed him to improve significantly. His club coach, known for his strictness with the team, uses this approach because of his belief in their potential to excel. Instead of backing down from the extra challenge, Kyle embraced it as an opportunity to gain more skills and self-discipline. 

“Before our first practice, he told us he had extremely high expectations, and he wasn’t going to lower them for us,” Kyle said. “He was going to make sure that we meet them and we grow to meet those expectations.” 

Kyle demonstrates this level of tenacity beyond the volleyball court as well. Upper school precalculus teacher Christopher Davies commends him for his willingness to embrace challenges and consistent dedication to learning.

“I enjoyed working with Kyle because he’s so easy going,” Davies said. “It’s common for students to get a little frustrated or feel a little intimidated in math class. But he was always up for the challenge and whether he succeeded or failed on a particular problem, he was always ready to roll with it and keep on learning.”

In social settings, Kyle’s friends know him for his straightforwardness. One of Kyle’s friends from childhood, Jackson Lara (’24) respects him for his truthfulness and reliability.

“I think that direct would be a very good way to describe Kyle,” Jackson said. “If you know something about him, he’s almost 100%, if not 101% with a 1% margin of error, telling the truth. That’s my opinion. He doesn’t really lie about anything.”

From his experiences in volleyball, Kyle learned the importance of having confidence in himself. Having started the sport immediately after transitioning from online school, Kyle found his main circle of friends within the volleyball community, where he acquired his burgeoning confidence. 

“I’ve been more confident since volleyball,” Kyle said. “I wasn’t super confident before. Especially pulling off COVID, it was just a rough time. Online school was rough for me. Once I started playing volleyball and built the connection with my teammates, it was super helpful knowing I had people supporting me.”