Aspiring coach brings volleyball career to Western New York

Adam Unger details a former all-state volleyball player's journey back to Western New York and where hopes it will lead him.

TWO ALL-STATE NODSAT HAMBURG... TWOYEARS ONSCHOLARSHIP AT OHIOSTATE... ZACHYERINGTON HADFOUND SUCCESS INVOLLEYBALL... BUTINJURIES AND ACHANGE OF HEARTHAVE LED HISVOLLEYBALL CAREERBACK TO WESTERNNEW YORK.NATSYOU NEVER REALLYKNOW WHERE LIFE ISGOING TO TAKE YOU."AFTER MYSOPHOMORE YEAR IDECIDED TOWITHDRAW FROM THETEAM AND THENACTUALLY JOINED ANOSU CLUB MEN'S TEAM.AND I KIND OF FELL INLOVE WITH SEEINGTHEIR DEVELOPMENT,AND SEEING THEMGROW AS PLAYERS ANDAS YOUNG ADULTS."SO WITH A NEWCAREER TRACK AHEADOF HIM.

YERINGTONREACHED OUT TO ANOLD FAMILY FRIEND."HE JUST WANTED TOREACH OUT AND GETSOME ADVICE.WHETHER IT WAS WHOIT SHOULD BEREACHING OUT TO,HOW TO INTERVIEW.WE HAD ANOPPORTUNITY HERE.SINCE I'VE KNOWN HIMSINCE HE WAS 15, IKNEW HE WOULD BE AGOOD FIT FOR OURPROGRAM."HE PLAYED WITHGLEASON'S LITTLEBROTHER FOR EDENVOLLEYBALL CLUB.AND JOINING DOM ATDAEMEN BROUGHT HISGAME BACK HOME."I DON'T KNOW IF IWOULD'VE GONE ALLTHE WAY TO OHIO IF ICOULD PLAY RIGHTHERE IN MYBACKYARD."AS THE ELDERSTATESMEN OF THEWILDCATS' VOLLEYBALLTEAM AND ANASPIRING COACH TOBE"SO YOU CAN STEPFORWARD AND BACKWITHOUTB HAVING TOGO OVER A SHOULDER"YERINGTON FACES ABALANCING ACT."I'VE SEEN PLAYERS INTHE PAST WHETHERTHEY'RE THE SAMEAGE OR OLDER THANTHOSE GUYS ORWHATEVER KIND OFOVERSTEP THOSEBOUNDS.

I THINK ZACHHAS DONE A REALLYGOOD JOB OF STRIKINGA REALLY GOODBALANCE."YERINGTON'SELIGIBILITY IS UPAFTER THIS YEAR.

HEHOPES TO TRANSITIONINTO A GRADUATEASSISTANT ROLE WITHBOTH VOLLEYBALLTEAMS."IT WAS ACTUALLYPRETTY EXCITING TOSEE THAT I COULDCOME BACK HERE,EXTEND MY PLAYINGCAREER A LITTLELONGER, AND ALSOSTART UP MYCOACHING CAREER."A LIFETIME OFCOACHING--"AND WE'RE POPPOINGAND STOPPING ONCONTACT.

DOES THATMAKE SENSE?"KICK STARTED BY ANOLD FRIENDSHIP