Boys volleyball shakes up tradition as Oshkosh athletes join for change

A new era of sports hits the courts this winter with yet another team redefining school tradition. A boys volleyball team was formed through the passion and persistence of students at both West and North.  What began as an idea last spring has quickly turned into a growing movement, with the goal of giving male athletes the opportunity to compete in a sport that’s often seen as dominated by women in the high school scene.

The idea sparked early last spring when sophomore Irtasam Umar spoke in favor of creating a boys volleyball team in keeping with his inspirations from his family’s past successes with the sport.

“While being in elementary school, I would watch my uncle play professionally,” he said. “I decided I wanted to be like him, so it was disappointing never being able to play volleyball competitively for our high school team.” 

As a passionate volleyball player, he was determined to change this for himself and others that shared his love for the sport. On the journey to make his dream come true, Umar encountered early difficulties.

“We held an open gym on April 25 to see how many people would sign up,” he said. “Not many people came right away.” 

It wasn’t until summer when the idea gained traction through social media. The boys’ volleyball team was able to involve around 50 students from West and North to back this vision. 

One of these students, sophomore Abel Lo, another key member of the team, agrees that Oshkosh needed a boys’ volleyball team to match up with other schools in the Fox Valley Association. 

“I think we should have a team for West and North because every other FVA school has one and the OASD doesn’t,” he said. 

This shared desire among students was not to just create a team, but build one that could compete with others. For the players, this isn’t just about playing a sport—there is a deeper purpose. 

"It’s important because it will show how volleyball isn’t just a girls’ sport,” Lo said. “The opportunity to get others involved with volleyball will help build community and character while developing skills that are incomparable to other sports.”

These volleyball athletes have been training for this moment to get a chance to show themself to the WIAA, making their dreams come true as they opened play on January 17. Games will take place every Friday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Vel Phillips Middle School.

by C. Vang and S. Xiong

Published February 3 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue IV