Sophomores Brayden Gremba and Alex Kelly started playing volleyball three years ago, though at the very start, they both struggled a bit.
“I remember that in our first year playing volleyball, we weren’t very good,” Kelly said. “We were both developing at the same speed and we started going to these open gyms and he then was just crushing balls. It was like insane that he was doing so well,” Kelly said.
Gremba agreed that the open gyms helped them both improve overall and get closer with their teammates.
“We really did progress together and not one person has ever been significantly better than the other,” Gremba said. “The first few open gyms we were at together, we both saw each other’s progress.”
Since those early days, Gremba has played volleyball for multiple teams, including Pittsburgh Elite, A-10, and Baldwin. He began his volleyball career as a right side but later became an outside.
Gremba said that compared to other sports, volleyball really stood out for him.
“I’ve played a lot of sports and I just clicked with volleyball,” Gremba said.
Assistant Principal Denise Wells, who is the junior varsity volleyball coach, said that though she was only Gremba’s head coach for one year, she noticed his abilities as a player.
“He has fire, he is confident and you can tell he loves to win,” Wells said. “He loves to take that risk to make sure that we do what we need to do to win.”
Gremba said that he puts in effort to improve for his team by practicing daily and going to the gym. He also takes inspiration from his friends and fellow teammates, whom he sees as role models.
“Every teammate I’ve ever had has impacted me, but especially Alex Kelly,” he said.
He said that he and Kelly have grown as teammates over the years.
“I started my volleyball career with him and I still play with him to this day. We’ve done pretty much everything together,” Gremba said.
Kelly said that Gremba’s passing helps the entire team.
“Whenever he receives a serve, it’s a great pass every time. Then when he gets set he’s able to rip the ball and put it away,” Kelly said.
Kelly explained the importance of passing to the game.
“The first thing you do is pass the serve, and it’s the hardest thing to do. Without a good pass, you can’t get a good set and you can’t get a good hit,” Kelly said. “It starts with the pass, and it’s essential.”
Kelly said that Gremba excels at carrying the team’s energy and maintaining a positive attitude.
“Whenever he gets a kill, he celebrates and gets hyped up – we just radiate off that energy,” he said.
Wells agreed that Gremba brings light to the team.
“He gets fired up. He is so positive,” she said.
The team remains close-knit on and off the court, and those moments off the court have been some of Gremba’s favorites.
“Going out for food after games, going out for ice cream, the bus rides … and watching the JV games with the other varsity guys” were key memories that Gremba cited.
Gremba said he hopes to continue his volleyball career in college.
Wells, meanwhile, said she is excited to see Gremba grow as an athlete in the future.
“He will learn the game even more and become an even more strong leader,” Wells said.
