Resilient is what head coach of men’s volleyball Jonathan Charette described his team as after being crowned the 2019 California Community College Athletic Association State Champions for the tenth time.
Long Beach City college men’s volleyball team took another win this year after defeating Irvine Valley College Lasers at Fullerton College on April 27.
The Vikings were able to push through the entire game to defeat the Irvine Lasers, ending the game in a 3-0 sweep.
This is the third time that LBCC has won CCCAA State Champions since Charette started coaching, which to him is another big moment in his coaching career at LBCC.
“I’m definitely proud of this moment, I’m proud that us as a coaching staff are able to offer this experience up to these guys,” Charette said.
Charette also mentioned that as a team they struggled with many challenges but were able to overcome them.
“Reflecting back at the very beginning of the fall semester, when we started training with this group, I think this had been a group of guys who have done a really good job at growing, working on changes and getting better every day, and I think it showed at the end of the season,” Charette said.
For freshman setter and team captain Joseph Rocha it was his first year being with LBCC.
Rocha described the season as being an overall learning experience for him.
“This season was a lot of learning, it was a lot of ups and downs but I think overall this season was awesome,” Rocha said.
“I think the hardest part was kinda just finding my role and what I need to do to help my team become better and I think my coaches helped me a lot with that and my team kinda just accepted me for who I was, and that helped me be more comfortable and find my role,” Rocha said.
Assistant Coach Jason Kwak said being with the team was a special moment for him with this as his first season with them.
“Season was awesome, it was my first season here. I used to be a former alumni here also, I played, so I knew the reputation, you know what the program means and how successful it’s been, so to come back and be apart of it and to help add another championship was special,” Kwak said.
Throughout the season the team set a streak of 14 wins, three losses and finished their championship season with a 19-3 record.