Acing today and setting up for tomorrow: Gloucester volleyball鈥檚 Gavin Pham
GLOUCESTER, Va. — Whether he is dashing around a track, diving into a pool, racing down the field, or rotating on the court, Gloucester High School senior Gavin Pham is an all-around athlete who has been a member of numerous teams and participated in many games and competitions over his seventeen years. Volleyball in particular has been a rather new endeavor for Gavin, he has played for just two years, but in that short time he has grown his passion and dedication to his sport no different than if he had been playing for a lifetime.
Gavin has set his sights on becoming the best he can be, always striving to improve his game. He even hopes to take his own experiences as a player and build his capacity to coach a team of his own one day. He shares, 鈥淚n the future, I look to take the skills I have learned throughout my years of playing and use those as I am coaching my own team. I believe volleyball is one of the most enlightening sports. It has taught me so much about myself and the importance of being a part of a team. I do have hopes of playing competitively for a college team but my more realistic goal is attending Virginia Tech and playing for their club team outside of their school program.鈥�
For Gavin, the mentality that he has to possess to succeed in a game is unlike other more traditional team sports like football or basketball. There is an internal game that takes place in the mind of a volleyball player and players have to prepare for that just as much as they prepare for the physical game. 鈥淪ince volleyball lacks the physical encounters you have versus your opponents like in football, basketball, etc, the entirety of the game is more mental than any other factor. Making sure to keep my form perfect and keep my head straight when the games get tough have been a big struggle for me. Yet, I have been able to overcome this purely through putting in the work to improve my muscle memory and gathering experience over the years. I knew that my mental game is something that I had to put more time into training than any other aspect as it makes or breaks the way I play during games. By putting in the work and hours into practicing I have been able to mitigate the majority of the problems I was facing first starting off in a new sport,鈥� says Gavin.
As a new player in the past, Gavin also faced an initial struggle with the technical aspect of the game, in particular in mastering control of the ball in a play. He was able to overcome the learning curve with the guidance of a former teammate who took a unique method in helping Gavin to think of the ball as something a little unconventional. This advice helped Gavin to change his own approach and improve his skills to shift from what he describes as 鈥渟harp, janky movements鈥� to gaining control and developing a more relaxed yet strategic take on his plays.
He says, 鈥淚 remember how awful I was at passing and was constantly shanking the ball鈥� meaning passing it wildly and making it difficult for a play鈥� whenever faced with a serve. My teammate David taught me how to absorb the impact of the ball in order to pass the ball more effectively and the way he explained it I will never forget. He told me, 鈥淭hink of the ball like a box of kittens, we aren’t looking to crush the kittens by swinging our arms, instead think of it like you’re absorbing their fall and letting them into your platform easily like a trampoline鈥�. Ever since David has told me this advice I have never failed to think of the ball as a box of kittens which I doubt is an image that will never leave my mind, it had a real impact on me.鈥�
Being an athlete of multiple sports, Gavin is always reflecting on the similarities and differences between those sports. Just as volleyball presents a mental challenge unlike other sports, it also offers a unique reward. 鈥淭he number one thing I love about volleyball is the rush you get throughout the entire time playing. The one thing other sports like soccer, football, hockey, etc do not offer is the ability to score multiple points during a game; usually in soccer you are only able to create the chance of scoring a handful of times, but with volleyball it feels like a constant rush of getting points. The feeling of being able to jump up and smash the ball straight down is unparalleled to any other sports experience I have had, especially being able to do that maybe 10-30 times a game,鈥� explains Gavin.
The mental game is not just an obstacle about the player鈥檚 performance as an individual, sometimes it can be difficult to control reactions in a tense situation in the game between teammates. As a team captain this can be even more challenging at times; Gavin works to be a leader for his teammates but he is not immune to frustration in the moment. He has found a way to shift his emotions, owning that past mistake of letting his feelings get to him and in doing so has become a strong leader for his fellow players to look towards. Gavin says, 鈥淭he biggest mistake I have made when playing volleyball is not being the team captain I am supposed to be. When games are tight and getting intense there have been times where I lose my patience with teammates when they are not playing well which is unacceptable when it comes to being captain. Since the start of this new season I have made it my goal of staying positive no matter what and being the captain my team expects me to be.鈥�
Focusing on that positivity even when faced with a rough patch is a key lesson Gavin has learned from being involved in a team sport. He has learned that sometimes that mindset is what can make or break the outcome of a game. 鈥淭here have been far too many times we as a team lost simply because of our attitude. We all have the skill to perform extremely well but a lot of the time our negativity and inability to cooperate has gotten in the way. However, during this and last season, my team has been extremely successful in keeping a positive and strong composure throughout our games and it has resulted in sustainable increase in our wins. Just being positive and connecting with your teammates is super important when it comes to volleyball as it is simply impossible for it to be an individual sport. I rely on my teammates and they rely on me, we all have mutual respect for each other and there is nothing we would never do for one another if help or other assistance was ever needed, even outside of volleyball,鈥� shares Gavin.
No matter the sport, coaches work diligently to ensure they know the strengths and needs of their team as a whole and for their players individually. Gavin鈥檚 coach, Lucas Grey, has managed to provide just the right amount of support and direction that Gavin needs to continue thriving as a player. 鈥淐oach Lucas has seen my progression as a player and has been the main reason I have become the player I have become. The best advice he gives me every game is simply to relax. Coach knows when I’m tensed up and not playing my game and is always the first person to tell me to relax and play the way I play which motivates me every time to snap out of whatever mental block I am in,鈥� Gavin says.
In addition to being a stellar athlete, Gavin is an overall well-rounded student, aside from sports his academics are his other main focus. He participates in both Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses and devotes as much time as he can to ensuring his homework is finished and sets aside other periods of time to study for the SAT and other school level exams. His parents, mom Kristi and dad Pete, are incredibly proud of Gavin for his ability to perform so well both on and off the court. They say, 鈥溾�淕avin has become an exceptional individual. He excels both on and off the volleyball court, showcasing his determination, kindness, and humility. As an honor roll student, he demonstrates his commitment to academic excellence. Moreover, his close bond with his older brother reflects his strong family values. As proud parents, we look forward to witnessing his continued growth and success.鈥�
While Gavin clearly has his aim set on future aspirations like playing at the collegiate level, he also can appreciate hitting more short term goals, including one set by his coach that has the whole team on board. Some coaches might be more inclined to have a serious, sacred focus time leading up to a game, but Gavin鈥檚 team has a pre-game tradition that a teenager could hardly resist. He says, 鈥淥ur coach has initiated a new ritual on our team where we all eat a pack of Oreos before the game. We are working to try every single flavor!鈥�
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