I got it from them

By Princess P

Hieu Dinh, a student at Yerba Buena, found his love for volleyball through a player named Yuki Ishikawa. The way Ishikawa presented himself on the court was something Hieu found inspiring and motivated him to play. Ishikawa never cared about losing or winning. He would just continue playing.

Hieu has always been more interested in basketball, but at the age of 8-years-old, he was introduced to volleyball by his second cousin, Thomas. He never found the reason to stick with it until he played at City Beach’s open gym, where he would later meet people that were very welcoming.

Hieu: “I found the love for volleyball when I played open gym at City Beach for the first time, where I met a lot of people that were very skilled, but they were all very friendly and taught me how I play now.”

Volleyball is like a competition to him. Even with Yerba Buena not having a boy’s volleyball team, Hieu found a way to stick through it. Just like the player Yuki Ishikawa, Hieu enjoys teamwork and overall just the ecstatic feeling when a good play happens. He dislikes when others have ego, players who like to talk like they’re better than everyone else while failing to keep their own advice. It makes the sport unenjoyable for others.

Hieu: “I enjoy the teamwork. Whenever we get a good play, everyone just gets happy and it’s just a cheerful place to be [in]... I dislike playing against people who are not as—how would I say this—who aren’t experienced but talk like they’re better than everyone else.”

Hieu is also not just a student, but the president of the Volleyball Club. Despite not having workshops to teach the members how to play, he’s able to bring them together through Yerba Buena’s open gyms where new skills, friendships and an opportunity to connect with the members.

Hieu: “I have a lot of friendships now because of volleyball club and I’ve learned to interact with a lot people. Being in the club lets me understand different points of views in skill levels and it helps me with improving on my own skill set; and it makes it easier to start a conversation with people I don’t normally talk to.”

Even though volleyball wasn’t Hieu’s first interest in sports, he’s still able to enjoy it as much as basketball. Open gyms, specifically the environment, has helped him guide his way into becoming a leader. With all the skills and tips he’s received throughout the years he has played, he’s able to guide his members and overall anybody to become a better player.