The first time Enrique Dominguez played volleyball was when he was forced to manage the girls volleyball team at his high school as part of a community service requirement.
Now, as a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School, Dominguez can’t get enough volleyball and plays for the Space Needle Boys and Girls Volleyball Foundation in Shoreline.
Though not very well known, the Space Needle Boys and Girls Volleyball Foundation has been around for 12 years. The club is made up of 84 girls along with 12 boys of different ages, sizes and abilities.
Coach Mark West started working with his team four years ago and said that there are no other boys high school volleyball programs in the state.
“I think that the boys have something very unique and the fact that we have 13-18 year olds playing together is interesting, ” West said.
Dominguez joined the team when West offered him a position during an open gym in Renton. For him, playing volleyball is his highest priority. After high school, he hopes to play volleyball at the University of California-Irvine.
Matthew Alvaro West, Mark’s son, a 14-year-old Shorewood student, has been playing volleyball for four years, three years with the Space Needle team.
“It’s my life,” he said.
Matthew was recently named to the USA select team for his age group that will compete in Tucson, Ariz. in July.
Yet, there are many obstacles for boys playing volleyball, coach West said. Many times it is difficult for the kids to tell their parents they don’t want to do traditional sports.
Being the only male youth team in Washington, it also can be difficult for the squad to find competition. West said the team often travels across the country for tournaments or competes with adult teams. On June 24, the team scrimmaged with some male players from the University of Washington.
“How the heck to we beat these teams?” West said about playing at a higher level. “They want to win so bad. They are willing to put their egos aside.”
Even with the age difference, West says they beat about half the adult teams they play.
The boys practice three times a week for three hours, bumping, spiking, and diving. In between the hard work, however, they goof around, make jokes, and just enjoy playing together.
“Understanding that my philosophy as a coach is to respect each other, have discipline and have fun,” West said. “Sometimes having a good time and acting up allows our personality to grow.”
Unlike teammates in other sports, Dominguez said these guys are a lot cooler then most of the people he meets, and their bond is much stronger.
“It’s different because we’re the only ones,” Dominguez said. “We have to be a little closer.”
The team will travel to Utah for the USA Volleyball Championship starting July 1.
West hopes that one day he can create more volleyball teams and develop a league solely for boys.
“Coaching is very rewarding and it is like planting a seed and seeing it grow,” he said. “I think I will coach until I die.”
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