Haley Spracale is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Dobson High School for AZPreps365.com

More than 450,000 players played girls volleyball in 2018-2019, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Dobson High has formed its own pipeline to help bring in players to their program. It uses the Mesa Youth Volleyball program and Team RIZO to help drum up support for its high school team.

Mesa Public Schools implemented its youth volleyball program as an inexpensive way to get young students involved with the sport. John Huckelberry, activity specialist for the district’s community education department, said that in the first year of the program in 2012, around 120 kids participated, and in the most recent season 350 students from third to eighth grade played.

High schools across the district host groups of students to help teach them the basics of volleyball while also providing them a place to learn, Huckelberry said. The program is mainly run through parent volunteers.

In Dobson’s case, the program helps it bring together its two main feeder schools, Rhodes Junior High and Summit Academy. By having these middle school students play together before starting high school, they’re able to get a taste of what’s to come.

“We would have Mesa Youth playing sometimes at the same time in the small gym when they (Dobson High School) were having an actual match in the big gym,” Dobson junior varsity coach and youth director Mark Phipps said. “If the game was exciting, I would bring the entire group of younger players over to one side to cheer and feel the excitement of what it is going to be like to come here and play. That was the Kool Aid that I was pouring in their glasses. This is a good time.”

Those students help make up the Dobson High School Pipeline. This phrase was coined to help explain the way Phipps and the other members of the high school program map out where their players come from. By drawing students in through MYV, future players are able to start learning about the Dobson culture and as Phipps said, “level everybody up.”

The Dobson program also provides another level of play for students through its own club volleyball team, Team RIZO. In an email, Dobson varsity coach Will Robinson said the club team was created since, “we needed a way to give our girls club experience at a lower cost.”

RIZO is a regional travel team and moved into the championship rank last year. The club functions outside of the normal high school season and provides Dobson players with the opportunity to keep growing their skill set.

Sophomore Kelsi Dieu has been a part of both programs. Phipps became her coach in fifth grade when she joined MVB. Being on RIZO has helped Dieu become close with those in the Dobson program.

“The girls, they make it so fun; every league tournament we had,” Dieu said. “We were so tired in the morning and then when we smiled at each other our energy level would just go up. It was such a fun experience. I got so close with some of the closest friends I have now. We just grew as friends, players, and family.”

Now, Dieu is getting ready to move on within the club scene. By trying out for a new club, she said she wants to “get more practice and talk to new coaches.” I don’t think you should keep this line. The story is not about her. It’s about the program. Keep the focus there.

Volleyball has become an important part of the Mesa community. These two programs help make the Dobson culture and provide students with a variety of opportunities.

“They just need a way to get started, to get them on that road towards believing in their own inner awesomeness,” Phipps said. “So a big part of it is to help them become the future leaders that they all have inside of them.”

The video behind the photo (Video courtesy of Mark Phipps).