Eagles start inaugural season in volleyball

Special to The Acorn


Oak Park is playing volleyball this season—boys’ volleyball in its inaugural season—and head coach Meredith Mangum and her team are beginning to make believers out of the Frontier League and the non-league teams that they’ve played.


Oak Park plays volleyball in the Frontier League. Participating teams include the Bishop Diego Cardinals, the Carpinteria Warriors, the Malibu Sharks, the Nordhoff Rangers and the Oaks Christian Lions.


Oak Park played Malibu on Tuesday and plays at Bishop Diego today at 5 p.m., then at Montclair College Prep against the Mounties next Wednesday at 4 p.m.


Before and since beginning games on March 5, the 12-member Eagles team has been learning the fundamentals and techniques to build its skills. "We started real slow, teaching them the basics, and we’re just building from that," Mangum said. "We wanted to build a solid platform.


"Now we’re doing some more advanced setting, back row attacks and running quick sets and jump serves. We’re trying to bring it up to as close to the collegiate level as we can for a high school."


The coach graduated from Newbury Park in 1997 and accepted a four-year full-scholarship to attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., where she played on the Golden Eagles NCAA Division I women’s volleyball team for four years. She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.


Mangum began coaching the Oak Park girl’s volleyball freshman team in 2001 and coached the girl’s JV team in 2002 before being named as the boy’s 2003 coach. She’s taken the California Basic Educational Skills Test. She’s substitute teaching and anticipates attending Cal State University Northridge in the fall to begin working on a teaching credential.


The coach is encouraged by the response she’s received. "I have a lot of leadership," she said. "I have eight seniors on the team."


Only two players have any organized team experience, sophomore setter/outside hitter and co-captain Alex Fliegelman, who has club experience, and junior outside hitter Brett Bellon who played volleyball at his previous high school. The rest are just brand new to the sport.


About Fliegelman. Mangum said, "He’s got a lot of court experience and he’s got great hands. He definitely wants to set in college and he works hard on and off the season." Fliegelman has been training with Chris Harger, who has a volleyball team and works at the Spectrum Club in Westlake Village.


He’s enjoying the experience of playing volleyball for the Eagles. "We’re motivated by wins and pride and when we get good plays," he said.


Regarding Bellon, his coach said, that he’s strong, utility player who can do anything. He can play middle, right side or outside and he has a good swing, Mangum said.


Bellon has one objective as a member of the team. "I play for that perfect set that comes," he said.


Mangum said that senior outside hitter and captain Cameron Adams is the team’s strongest outside hitter. "His father played in college and so he’s been training with his dad. He’s real smart. He’s got court awareness and he hits a heavy ball, a real strong ball. He’s our go-to man."


The coach is pleased to have senior defensive specialist Dan Ratynets on the team because he’s playing a key role as a motivator and keeps everyone focused.


Junior outside hitter/middle blocker Devin O’Keefe is "real strong, loud-mouthed, and kind of keeps the kids going. He’s definitely our fire behind the team," Mangum said.


Oak Park’s youngest member is freshman middle blocker Jason Fahn. Mangum said, "He’s already 6-foot-4 and he’s been playing basketball to get his coordination. He’s definitely got the volleyball game going."


Another half dozen players the coach said she counts on every game are led by senior defensive specialist Adam Richards. "He doesn’t have much experience, but he’s real strong. He benches the most on the team," Mangum said. The others are senior defensive specialist Ryan Petersen, senior middle blocker Aaron Ariza, senior middle blocker David Budin-Smithers, senior defensive specialist Mike Guzman and senior outside hitter Bryan Waldberg.


The Eagles (4-6, 2-2) have defeated Frontier opponents Bishop Diego and Nordhoff and lost to Carpinteria and Oaks Christian before the game on Tuesday against Malibu.


In non-league games Oak Park has defeated the Calabasas Coyotes of the Marmonte League and the Vasquez Mustangs of the High Desert League.


Non-league losses have been to the Glendale Dynamiters of the Pacific League, the Los Angeles Baptist Knights of the Alpha League, the El Camino Wildcats of the West Valley League and the Desert Scorpions of the High Desert League.


The team’s backbone is its closeness. "We do a lot of things," Mangum said. "We go out to dinner together, maybe hang out at the beach and do different special things. We have team dinners every week."





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