The Fernando Rivera girls’ volleyball season ended on November 4, 2024, with their last game being held at Thomas R. Pollicita Intermediate School.
The season lasted about one month, including the amount of time the team spent practicing. The team was coached by seventh and eighth grade social studies teacher Billy Tornay, with Maysan Mendoza and Nyla Dios acting as team captains.
Throughout the season there were a variety of games including home games and away games. At the end of their final home game, eighth graders received roses and candy as a goodbye gift. Other students in the audience watching created signs to root for their fellow players on the team.
Tornay was asked various questions about how he felt about the volleyball season this year.
Why did you choose to coach volleyball?
I like coaching. I’ve always coached. I used to coach basketball. I used to coach traveling basketball for AAU and so I’ve always liked coaching and then when I was at TRP my first year, they needed a girls volleyball coach and I coached. And then when I transferred here, the guy who was doing it didn’t come back so I took his coaching spot.
How long have you coached girls’ volleyball for?
This is my fourth season.
Has volleyball impacted you in any way? If so, how?
I really love volleyball. I hate that. It’s actually just getting more popular now, but I’ve always liked playing volleyball. Unfortunately, being a boy, there weren’t many boys’ teams. I didn’t know any boys’ teams, actually. Or I didn’t even know people growing up who are boys who play volleyball. But in recess, I always had fun playing it. And my friends always had fun playing it, too. So I’m kind of shocked that it wasn’t as popular. And now it’s starting to gain more popularity. I actually had one boy student who was like, I asked him to tryout and he said, ‘No, my parents laughed at me because they said it’s a girls’ sport.’ Yeah, and I was like, show them this. And I showed them the Olympics. And those are some pretty world-class athletes playing the sport. I watch it now on TV, too. Whenever I can, like college, you should watch, too.
Do you imagine yourself coaching girl’s volleyball anytime in the future?
Yeah, of course.
Has volleyball changed in any way from when you first started coaching?
No, not really. I don’t care about winning and losing, but I care how we win and lose and so I’ve always expressed that to the teams and so everyone that has coached has always given their all and that’s all that I really ask for. So have I seen much change? No, not really but I haven’t asked for change.
What advice or tips would you give to those who plan on coaching volleyball in the future?
Oh, plan on coaching? Have fun. The more fun you have the better it’s gonna be. If you’re not having fun, why do it? It doesn’t make sense. Some people will do something and not have fun.