Junior Evan O’Neil has been playing volleyball for most of his life, but he didn’t start practicing competitively until his freshman year.
“I played a lot growing up just at recess throughout elementary school,” he said, because he “just got bored of every other sport and wanted to try something new.”
As he has continued his volleyball journey, he believes he’s grown his understanding of the game.
During a game, O’Neil frequently plays as a setter; however, that has not always been his main role. “I started as a hitter and then moved to setter last year.”
He said he particularly enjoys the role of the setter because it is almost like being the quarterback of the volleyball team, where the setter’s job is to call plays and make sure everyone on the team is in a good position to get the ball over the net.
He goes into every game focused on the mindset to “try to be as encouraging as [he] can,” he said.
To prepare for his games, he said that he listens to music, but doesn’t have any particular routine.
On the academic side, his favorite classes are Honors Biology and AP English 3, saying, “I enjoy being tested on how fast I can write an essay.” As biology is a subject O’Neil is interested in, he wants to pursue a deeper understanding of it as a major in college. He also hopes to take his volleyball career to the collegiate level.
He is motivated to go to a good school but would enjoy playing for the volleyball team as well. His dream colleges would be Loyola University Chicago or University of San Diego; however he remains open to any route.
He is still hopeful to play professional volleyball although he said that it’s “highly unlikely.”
“Hopefully we can take home state,” he said, a goal which keeps him motivated even when he does not feel like practicing.
According to O’Neil, the team has found a balanced dynamic. This, along with the unified goal of hopefully taking home a state championship, are two big reasons why he enjoys playing volleyball.
“We are a pretty tight-knit team,” he said. “The whole team gets along and likes each other.”
Outside of La Salle, he plays club volleyball for Portland Chaos Volleyball. In addition to playing local matches, they travel across the country to compete. He said his favorite tournament was in Arizona, attributing his enjoyment to the challenging competition.
He has played club volleyball for three years and intends to play all the way until his senior year.
His favorite professional player is Micah Christenson, the U.S National team setter, and his favorite teams to watch are the University of Hawaii and the University of California Los Angeles. He admires them because they trust each other and they go after every ball.
Another reason he enjoys playing volleyball is because of the opportunity to improve throughout his career. “The more I play, the better I get,” he said.
O’Neil said his biggest inspiration is his mom.
“She’s just worked really hard to get where she is, and it’s cool to see,” he said.
