Varsity Boys’ Volleyball has become one of Cape Henry Collegiate’s most storied programs in recent years, winning eight of the last eleven conference titles dating back to 2008. Armed with first-year Cape Henry Collegiate Head Coach, Monica Scott, the Dolphins are poised to continue the program’s success for years to come. Littered with superb athletes willing to learn a new sport, the 2019 Varsity Boys’ Volleyball program is off to a fast start to the season. Providing veteran leadership and an abundance of knowledge, this week’s Athlete of the Week, senior captain Brady Old, has propelled the Dolphins to a #11 ranking in the Tidewater Area.

“Brady has been crucial in helping us build a culture for our team,” Head Coach Monica Scott began of Brady Old. “He is a natural leader, and the players really look to him for direction on and off the court. He has a lot of control over how the team is going to feel and play on a given day, and that kind of leadership at any age is a special quality. He does more than just keep us afloat, Brady sails us forward.”

Brady joined the Varsity Boys’ Volleyball program as a freshman with Cape Henry Collegiate in 2016, competing as a defensive specialist and earning time as an outside hitter during his sophomore year. Midway through his junior season, Brady made the transition to Libero due to his steady and accurate passing from the back row. Now in his senior season, the senior captain is one of the area’s top Liberos with a 2.13 passing average. His skill was on full display this past weekend as the Dolphins competed in the Endless Summer Tournament.

“The Endless Summer Tournament was a battleground last weekend. Margins were slim, and each set was a competitive match-up where we had to grind for the wins. We were there for 11 hours, played five matches, and everyone was exhausted,” Coach Scott continued of Brady Old. “Brady was exhausted too, but he played with the same intensity and focus from beginning to end. Defensively, he got in the way of almost every ball that came to him and set us up to run a strong offense in transition throughout the day.”

As Coach Scott and Assistant Coach Gene Wade have mentioned numerous times this season, the Dolphins feature two powerhouse middles in Nick Hubbard and Greg Melvin. Offensively, the pair dominate with size, athleticism, and power. However, a middle game is non-existent without nearly perfect passing from the back row. Brady Old is the guy who delivers this for the Dolphins, allowing Melvin and Hubbard to go to work. What makes Brady truly an exceptional leader? The fact he takes pride in what most consider the unsung statistics.

The Dolphins returned from the Endless Summer Tournament with a 3rd place finish after a 3-2 record on the day. Along the way, Old averaged nearly 15 digs per match for the day, which is on par with his current average for the season. Along with his stellar passing clip, Brady continues to wreak havoc on the service line, amassing 23 aces on the season– tied for the most on the team– and boasting 93.3% service accuracy.

“Brady puts so much heart into every match. He’s communicating on every ball, relentlessly pursuing shanked passes and block touches, covering, transitioning in full, and just generally sacrificing his body and behaving like the defensive general that a great Libero needs to be,” Coach Monica Scott finished.

The Dolphins currently sit 7-3 on the season with the heart of conference play quickly approaching. Cape Henry Collegiate will rely heavily on Old’s steady play for the remainder of the season, but must first compete against Catholic High School tonight, Friday, September 20 beginning at 5:00 pm.