The gym stirred in anticipation as West High’s Nathan Franco (12) stepped up to serve at the recent West High v.s. Palos Verdes Senior Night game. This game would mark the end of his four-year high school career on the boys’ volleyball team.
Although many may see this as something to mourn over, Franco isn’t upset by this. Instead, he sees this experience as something to be excited about: “I’m excited to see where it takes me. Maybe I’ll continue volleyball at a club or at the university I’m attending. But [I am]definitely more excited than anything.” This outlook sprouts from the years he spent playing for JV and Varsity, where he learned that “If you’re not going to have fun with the game, then you’re not going to play your best. Making sure you have a balance of both is very important.” He channels this mindset through his role as varsity captain, stressing the importance of being patient and kind toward everyone on the team. If a player delivers a bad serve or misses the ball, Franco and other players will reassure them with pats on the back. And when West scores a point, the team has its own set of unique cheers to celebrate together. All of these traditions help strengthen team chemistry, which, in Franco’s words, is “the hardest part of the sport.”
Franco works alongside his co-captain, Edwin Hsu (11), where the two work together to improve the team’s chemistry. “The more time I spend with existing players, the more we know each other and how we think, which helps on the court since we know what each other tends to do,” Hsu explains. (Franco adds that team bonding often happens during pre-game Chipotle runs.)
Ultimately, their diligence is rewarding in other aspects where becoming closer to the sport also means forming long-term friendships. Hsu speaks warmly of this, expressing that one of the highlights of winning is being able to celebrate with the team, especially during close matches. “The most rewarding part of volleyball isn’t blowing out another team, but close games where we barely come out on top.”
Ultimately, all that effort and connection came to a head on Senior Night. In a match charged with emotion and intensity, West High’s Boys Varsity team battled point for point against Palos Verdes, refusing to let the moment slip away. The team eventually won 15-13 in the last set, barely beating the opposing school. It was more than just a win; it was a celebration of every practice and every hard-fought rally that built this team. For Franco and his fellow seniors, it wasn’t an ending to mourn, but a powerful, unforgettable send-off to whatever comes next.
