Boys volleyball grows in popularity among local high schools

Legend leads the way

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Boys volleyball became a sanctioned sport in Colorado three years ago and has steadily been growing.

“ e level of volleyball is rising and rising,” said Legend boys volleyball coach Ryan Lindstrom. “It’s getting better and it’s getting bigger.”

When the Colorado High Schools Activities Association sanctioned boys volleyball before the start of the 2021 season, players and teams were reluctant to jump in.

“When it was rst sanctioned, Legend was the only school in Parker with a team,” Lindstrom said. “We had kids from Ponderosa and Chaparral try out for the team. is year, Douglas County made the amazing choice to go 100 percent. So all Douglas County schools have boys volleyball teams, which is fantastic.

“We’re lucky at Legend to have some really good players. We have 42 boys in the program. We didn’t cut anybody. We want them to keep playing volleyball.”

Legend’s Paxton Wright has been playing volleyball since he was youngster.

“I was super happy (when boys volleyball was sanctioned),” he said.

“I have a deep passion for the sport ever since I was young. I just love it and want it to become a bigger sport in the state.

“When I rst started playing it was a club level thing and then my freshman year at Legend we got second in the state, last year we got third and this year we are trying to make it rst,” he said.

Legend (6-1) is ranked third in the CHSSANow.com state poll, defeating underRidge, 3-0, in a Continental League match on March 23. e set scores were 25-10, 25-15