2026 Intramural Volleyball Season brings competition and community to GHS

For the past two weeks, the cheers and laughter of students and teachers alike have filled the field house. The squeaks of high-top sneakers and the slapping sound of a ball being served created an unmistakable rhythm so any passerby would know what time of year it was. That’s right: another Gloucester High Intramural Volleyball season has come and gone. With unhittable spikes, impossible blocks and digs so unbelievable, viewers might have thought that they were watching the pros. 

But no– players in Intramural Volleyball included 10 teams of over 100 GHS students and 19 staff members. Despite two snowstorms that cancelled three days of games, players brought their enthusiasm, competitive spirit, and athleticism, fostering competition that was nothing short of next-level. 

Many students — including Meghan Buckley, a sophomore and second-year player — have noted that the most noticeable aspect of the 2026 season has been the overall attitude of participants. 

“Everybody’s there to have a good time, and it builds a community of people of all grades and ages, and teachers as well as students,” Buckley said. 

Strong returning teams included Cook’s group, the Average Joes, as well as Shrimp Mode, Sets and the City, Lundquist’s Army, The Americas and Chaos. New teams included Opps and Kids, Untouchaballs, Beavis and Bumphead, and Finacey’s Finest. 

With an almost entirely new roster, returning team The Americas made it clear they were the ones to beat, remaining undefeated the entire regular season with an 8-0 record. Shrimp Mode was close behind with a 7-1 record, followed by Team Chaos and the Untouchaballs. 

This Monday marked the start of the double-elimination rounds. Teams that clenched wins included the Average Joes against the Untouchaballs, The Americas against Sets and the City, Shrimp Mode against Lundquist’s Army and Chaos against Opps and Kidds.  

On Wednesday, the final day, the competition came to a head. After many hard-fought wins, the remaining teams were The Americas, Chaos, Shrimp Mode and the Average Joes. In the second round, Shrimp Mode lost to Average Joes, who dropped their final chance to Chaos. In the final game, The Americas took home the championship win after a heated battle against Chaos. 

Though they had plenty of talent on their team, Captain Hector Rivera said the key to their success was their mindset. 

“We were just supporting each other, and we never got down on each other,” Rivera said. “Our team has had a very positive attitude since the beginning of the season.” 

Also contributing to their many wins was The Americas’ unexpectedly talented player Felype Emanoel Marçal da Silva. 

The junior, who played for Usipa, the official team of the city of Ipatinga, in Brazil, for 4 years before moving to Gloucester, was unanimously voted MVP of the tournament by GHS staff players. 

Marçal da Silva said he enjoys volleyball because “Everyone is happy while playing. The competition is very fun because everyone enjoys themselves.” 

More important than wins or losses, Cook emphasized the value of low-stakes, competitive fun — especially to those trying out volleyball for the first time. 

“Seeing teams get better and have some success when they could barely tie their shoes the day before, and then they’re able to volley and get some serves in– that’s what I love seeing,” Cook said. “For those kids to come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Mr. Cook, did you see that we won?’… It’s great to see them so excited. Sure, I would like to win, but I think what’s more important is to show anybody how to get better.” 

He said his favorite parts of volleyball are “Kids liking it, adults liking it, people coming together and being on the same team, even if they’re in different classes. Having teachers and students on the same team is really positive, and it definitely creates unity. I get to know kids that I don’t have in class, so it establishes relationships.” 

Rivera, a seven-year Intramural Volleyball veteran (having played four years as a GHS student and three years as a staff member) recognized the importance of intramural sports in building inclusivity within Gloucester High. 

“It incorporates all the students and makes them feel like they’re part of something,” Rivera said. “There are some students that cannot do sports for a whole season because they have other responsibilities. So something like Intramural Volleyball — which is only two weeks– allows them to participate in this community for a little while.” 

As a former multilingual (English learner) student himself, Hector said he appreciates how it allows students who are still learning the language — like Marçal da Silva– to get to know English-speaking students. 

“Everyone’s happy playing volleyball, whether they speak English or not,” Marçal da Silva said.