Photo credit: Lindsey Grice

Feeling nostalgic about his team in Spain, junior exchange student Juan Domingo has decided to start his own boys volleyball team here at North. “I’m actually asking friends and asking people I know if they’re interested,” Domingo said. “Some who reads this may join and if the athletic [director] approves it, more people can join.”

Searching for a way to bring his favorite sport to North, junior foreign exchange student Juan Domingo knew he had to find a way to keep up with his passion from back home in Spain. The idea of a boys volleyball team for Domingo would mean the creation of a community for students to be more active and share a common interest.

Though it is still the start of the school year, Domingo has already taken strides to get his plan approved.  After actively asking different students if they would be interested in joining his team, Domingo hopes to have a team ready to play by the spring. 

“Right now I have talked with the athletic [director] and he told me if I have enough people, maybe 10 or 15 would start a team for spring,” Domingo said.  “In the spring the place where we can play volleyball is empty so if there are enough people we can play so I’m just asking people.”

Back in Spain, Domingo has been playing volleyball for two years, noting that he enjoys the sport’s ability to expose him to new people and create lasting bonds. Despite being in a new location, Domingo acknowledges that the two countries’ interpretations of the sport are relatively similar. 

“Here in America it’s the same as Spain,” Domingo said. “Volleyball is mainly for girls and there some mens.” 

With intentions of diminishing the stigma surrounding the sport, Domingo is eager to fill all the spots on the team regardless if he is the one spiking the ball. Throughout his career, he has only played one position, though he has emphasizes his interest in playing other positions on a team at North. 

“I’ve actually only played middle blocker and I will say that’s my favorite position because it’s only spikes and blocks,” Domingo said. “Also I would like to play center maybe. That’s the most interesting one so between those are my favorites.”

Through having a team, Domingo finds friendship and teamwork to be very important. In his years of playing volleyball and always wanting the best for his teammates, Domingo believes in the acknowledgement of one’s faults or failures.  

“I would say [the] most important attribute to play volleyball is trust in your teammates so you have to have a good relationship with them,” Domingo said. “You have to be able to say sorry and when there’s something bad, you have to be joining the team because it’s teamwork.”