Volleyball trio triumphant through the years

There is often a special bond created between teammates after playing together for a long period of time. Senior volleyball players Brett Rosenmeier, Will Calaman, and Russell Dervay show that connection each time they step on the court.

The three have known each other since they were in diapers and have spent the majority of their lives playing volleyball, eight of those years together. Although the trio attended different middle schools, they all were involved in recreational volleyball together.

“I grew up around my parents playing volleyball and that led me to play. Russell and I convinced Brett to play with us after our first year of club,” Calaman said.

Then, upon entering high school, all earned a spot on the Boys Varsity Volleyball team, while continuing to play travel ball.

“I didn’t think volleyball would be the sport for me. Everyone always said that volleyball was more of a girls sport. But, the more I played, the more I figured out that it wasn’t.  It was actually really fun and I had no clue how good I could actually get,” Rosenmeier said.

As the boys grew in stature and intensity, so did the game. And, the more difficult the competition, the harder they worked. The trio was fortunate enough to play on a team that competed each year in the state championship, even winning their sophomore year.

“Winning the high school state championship as sophomores was so rewarding,” Dervay said. “It was an exciting experience to win states and I couldn’t have been more proud of the team.”

Furthermore, their boys’ travel team, Coastal Volleyball, recently made it all the way to the National Championship, placing second.

“I didn’t expect to make it all the way to Nationals. Teams from California are usually powerhouses when it comes to volleyball.  No team in Virginia has ever made it as far as we did nationally,” Rosenmeier said.

Although qualifying for Nationals was a long process, placing second was a rewarding accomplishment for Dervay, Rosenmeier, and Calaman.  All three boys agreed that one of biggest highlights of their volleyball careers, thus far, was placing second in Nationals.

“We had a lot of support going into the tournament and the reactions after coming in second were even better,” Dervay said.

Though the three worked as a whole for so long, they still hold individual accomplishments in which they are proud.

This summer was a big one for Rosenmeier’s volleyball career.

“I think that I am most proud of earning a spot on the USA Youth National team this summer as a rising senior,” Rosenemeier said.

And now, each is in the midst of making future volleyball plans as they prepare to head off to college.

“I committed to George Mason University and plan to ‘walk on’ to their Boys Volleyball team,” Calaman said.

Calaman is not the only one who the option to play volleyball at a Division I college. Dervay is also looking into different colleges that will not only offer him a spot on the volleyball team, but also will provide him with a solid degree in Computer Science.  Rosenmeier, who, like Dervay, has yet to make a decision, also has some options.

“I have received offers from a few different colleges. But, my top choices so far are the University of Hawaii, the University of California at Los Angeles, and the Ohio State University,” Rosenmeier said.

The boys may be heading off to separate colleges and separate volleyball courts, but their bond will remain strong.

“The everlasting bond of friendship we have made cannot be broken by distance or rivalry,” Calaman said.