Interview With the Seniors of Boys Varsity Volleyball Team

Our Boys Varsity Volleyball Team is having a tremendous season with 11 wins and 7 losses. The team won their playoffs against Swanhaka with a dashing score of 3-0 and Quater Finals against South Side with score 3-2. I had the opportunity of interviewing the wonderful seniors and Coach Karahalios regarding their hopes and what they wish to achieve to make this season memorable.  

With the seniors, I asked them to share a little bit about themselves and these were their responses: 

Erik Ziemblicki (won All-County): 

What is your favorite sports team? 

“New York Yankees” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Juan Soto” 

Your favorite school subject? 

“History” 

What is your favorite movie? 

“Good Will Hunting” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“The Office” 

What is your favorite meal? 

“Pasta” 

Ziemblicki began playing volleyball in 7th grade after learning about the sport from his mother and aunt, both of whom played volleyball at their school. He returned to the sport in ninth grade and was introduced by Mr. Karahalios, who has been incredibly significant in reintroducing him to the sport and assisting him significantly with training. Ziemblicki plans to play college volleyball competitively and aspires to “win the county and maybe go father and win states” for this volleyball season. Ziemblicki views himself as a smart, aggressive, and confident player who embraces the most valuable advice he ever received: “Keep trying; even if you fail, you can always come back and win,” which he wants to pass on to future volleyball players. 

Nick Lang (won All-County): 

What is your favorite sports team? 

“New York Mets” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Paul Skenes” 

Your favorite school subject? 

“History” 

What is your favorite movie? 

“Star Wars” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“Breaking Bad” 

What is your favorite meal? 

“Steak Tidbits” 

Lang started playing volleyball in 9th grade after being exposed to the sport by two of his relatives who played for South Side. His ambitions for this season are to “make a deep playoff run and hopefully improve from last year all in all”. Lang characterizes his playing style as aggressive overall. He wants to get as many kills and blocks as possible to help our team win. Lang also likes baseball and plans to play competitively at Pace University. Lang is a member of Athletes Helping Athletes and advises aspiring volleyball players to “work hard and focus on what makes you better as a person”. 

Sam Onuoha (won All-Conference)  

What is your favorite sports team? 

“The Lakers because of Lebron James” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Noah Lyles because he’s also a track athlete” 

Your favorite school subject? 

“Math” 

What is your favorite movie? 

“Never Back Down” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“Breaking Bad” 

Mr. Karahalios introduced Onuoha to volleyball, and he began playing in 8th school. He felt the greatest influence from his track and volleyball coaches, who helped him become a better person and athlete. Onuoha admires Yuji Nishida (Japanese volleyball player) and looks up to him as an athlete. He defines his playing style as “sporadic”, implying that one never knows what he is going to do. He also talks about his passion for cooking, with lasagna being his favorite meal to make. He is part of Winter Track, Outdoor Track, Ecology Club, BSU, Grade Council and Student Council. Onuoha considers “working harder than everybody else” to be the finest piece of advice he has ever received. Onuoha offers this bit of advice to prospective volleyball players: “Keep working hard; do what you can and just play your part”. 

Liam Corbett 

What is your favorite sports team? 

“New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Richard Sherman” 

Your favorite school subject? 

“Math” 

What is your favorite movie? 

“Good Will Hunting” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“Dexter” 

What is your favorite meal? 

“Steak and rice” 

Corbett began playing volleyball in junior high and was introduced by Erik Ziemblicki (Senior 2025). He really admires Coach Karahalios, whom Corbett regards as a "good leader" who strikes the proper balance between strictness and fun when playing. Corbett hopes that the team “goes deep into the playoffs” and has a great season. Besides playing volleyball, Corbett enjoys playing baseball and will play for our team this upcoming season in spring. He also got into golf recently and really enjoys it. As for the upcoming volleyball players, he hopes that they “listen to Mr. K, he's got a lot of knowledge” and that the coach will help them improve as individuals and athletes. 

Daniel Banach  

What is your favorite sports team? 

“The New York Yankees” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Aaron Judge” 

Your favorite school movie? 

“Django Unchained” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“Family Guy” 

What is your favorite meal? 

“Steak and eggs” 

Banach began playing volleyball in his sophomore year and attended tryouts with his friends. His mother played volleyball for her high school, through whom he was exposed to the sport. Mr. Karahalios has been an excellent mentor to him, someone he admires and who has taught him a great deal. According to Banach, “The only goal is nothing less than a County Championship and then a Long Island Championship” and he will give his all to assist the squad accomplish these goals. Aside from volleyball, Banach likes baseball and plans to play competitively in college. He also enjoys watching sports, learning more about history, and cooking. Banach advises aspiring volleyball players to put in the necessary time and effort, as well as to believe in themselves.  

Anthony Gomes (Senior Scholar Athlete): 

What is your favorite sports team? 

“FC Barcelona” 

What is your favorite athlete? 

“Messi” 

Your favorite school subject? 

“Math” 

What is your favorite movie? 

“Interstellar” 

What is your favorite TV show? 

“Walking Dead” 

What is your favorite meal? 

“Any type of burger” 

Gomes began playing volleyball in 10th grade and was introduced by his friend Leden Sarmiento (Senior 2025). Coach Karahalios has been the most helpful to Gomes because he understands him and helps him improve as an athlete. He characterizes his playing style as “defensive” because he plays in the back. Outside of school, he expresses his enthusiasm for playing guitar, both electric and acoustic. His hobbies include playing violin, soccer, and video games. Volleyball is his favorite sport to play since it allows him to spend time with friends like Erik Ziemblicki who he admires as an athlete. Gomes wishes the best for the upcoming volleyball players and believes that they understand what is expected from them. 

Coach Karahalios  

How do you keep the team feeling positive and motivated during a loss? 

“To keep the team positive after a loss, the coaching staff and I focus on learning from each game, celebrating small wins, and highlighting areas for improvement. We remind the team that setbacks are part of growth, and we set short-term goals to stay motivated moving forward.”   

What is one important lesson you have learned from your time as a coach? 

“The most important lesson I’ve learned as a coach is the power of empathy. When players feel understood and supported, they perform better, and trust grows. Empathy boosts communication, morale, and helps build a confident, united team.” 

Describe the qualities you believe an effective athlete must have. 

“An effective athlete needs discipline, resilience, and a strong work ethic. They stay committed to training, bounce back from setbacks, adapt to changing situations, and prioritize teamwork, showing leadership and dedication to the team's success.”                  

What are your goals for the seniors to achieve this season? 

“Our goals for the seniors are to build their leadership skills, finish strong, and keep improving their game. We want them to develop resilience, adaptability, and teamwork skills they can use beyond sports. Lastly, we hope they leave a legacy of pride and tradition for our younger players. For the seniors and the whole program, we have one goal in mind. A Nassau County Championship.” 

I would like to express appreciation to the seniors and Mr. Karahalios for providing me with the opportunity to interview them and acknowledge their achievements. The volleyball team had an exceptional season. I wish seniors the best of success in their future endeavors.  

And always GO SPARTANS!