LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The University of Kentucky volleyball team’s championship run is inspiring the next generation of players at Lexington Catholic High School.
The Wildcats play for the NCAA championship Sunday afternoon, and the high school team will be watching and cheering from home.
Head coach Jeff Kaufmann said UK volleyball is one of the top conversations off the court. High school athletes look up to the older players, especially in skill-based positions such as setter, hitter, and libero.
The team participates in UK summer camps, and some are on club teams coached by college athletes.
“I know several of our girls have worked a lot of hours in a lot of gyms one-on-one with those UK players over the years to help them push themselves along,” said Kaufmann.
Kaufmann also looks up to UK coach Craig Skinner, who has implemented his coaching techniques.
Coach Kaufmann joined Lexington Catholic’s athletic department five years ago. Prior to that, he coached volleyball in Illinois. He said he was excited to learn from someone he called one of the best coaches.
“Craig is very generous in helping share his coaching philosophies and coaching ideas. He’s one of the best coaches in the country, so of course I want to try and copy as much as I can and implement it with my girls,” Kaufmann said.
The mentorship pays off. Lexington Catholic reached the KHSAA semifinals this year and ended the season with a 33-5 record, which Kaufmann said is the most wins in school history.
Next year, Lexington Catholic hopes to make it as far as UK has this season: to the championship.
Sport grows across Kentucky
Coach Kaufmann said that, based on statistics, girls’ volleyball became more popular about 10 years ago, both on the high school and club level. He believes many turned to the sport because it requires athleticism, but is a non-contact sport.
LCHS Athletic Director Dave Nurnberg said as more people become interested in the sport, the competitiveness grows with it. He believes the success of the UK volleyball program contributed to the growth in the city and statewide.
“I don’t think you could say that those two things aren’t connected, that the success of that program and what [Coach Skinner’s] done there at UK isn’t connected to the rise and the growth of that sport here in Lexington and just how popular it’s become,” Nurnberg said.
The community has also taken an interest in the sport. Nurnberg said the student section and bleachers at home games are phenomenal.
According to Nurnberg, there hasn’t been an LCHS volleyball player to commit to playing at UK in his five years as athletic director. However, two seniors will move on to the college level at the end of high school. One will play locally at Transylvania University, while the other will go to Tennessee Tech.
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