RRHS volleyball camp participation numbers spike in 2024

Rio Rancho High School held its annual Volleyball Skills Camp this week, and it was the place to be.

“We love that the kids come in with a good attitude, and we love the work ethic, and we see the improvement,” head coach Toby Manzanares said. “We are over 130 kids, which is the largest camp we have had in quite a long time.”

Manzanares has been the Ram volleyball head coach since 1997, the only Ram volleyball head coach in school history.

“We feel that our cycle as a coach is five years worth, where we see them as seventh graders and then five years later as a senior. I’m, like, in my seventh cycle, going into cycle number eight, which is kind of crazy,” Manzanares said.

Many non-RRHS high schoolers attended the camp, too, and solely attended because they believed it would benefit their play at their respective school.

“Our skills camps are open to anybody that’s interested. Sometimes we have boys come in because boys volleyball is getting bigger and bigger,” Manzanares said. “We do have some players from the neighboring high schools that come … anytime we can help grow the game and spread the skillset of the game, to anybody who's interested in the game, it is really important for all of us to help.”

Non-RRHS players from Bernalillo High School, Bosque, Grants, Cibola and even Moriarty were in attendance at the camp that ran June 24-26.

“This is like a team-bonding camp; our coaches provided this opportunity for us. So, we are here to experience new things and learn some new things together,” Bernalillo player Leandra Valencia said.

PHOTOS: 2024 Rio Rancho High School volleyball camp

The camp was divided into two main groups, the “Bigs” and “Littles.”

“I am just here hanging out with the kids, being cool. I gotta be cool so they’re cool, too!” senior Cienega Richards jokingly said. “My group was really good, and they were getting a lot of touches and I think the future will be just fine.”

Students in third to sixth grade were placed with the “Littles,” and this group went over the basics such as passing, attacking, serving, footwork, setting and defense. Practice for the “Littles,” lasted two hours.

“I have a volleyball net in my backyard, and I like to practice with my dad,” camp attendee Mylah Doty said. “I need to get better with my volleyball skills because I want to join the Lincoln [Middle School] team. So, that’s why I am here, and I want to improve my serving and spiking.”

The “Littles,” will conclude camp with a championship Thursday tournament. During the tournament, they will be grouped into teams, and then the high school players will coach their teams and ensure that they use their new skills.

Students seventh grade and up were put in the “Bigs,” and this group’s main focus was preparation for their respective tryouts. Practice for the “Bigs,” lasted three hours.

“I’m helping out with all the kids at the camp today. We do a lot of passing, setting skills. A lot of playing at the end. It’s super fun,” former RRHS standout Ashleigh Meyer said.

During her time at RRHS, Meyer was a second-team All-State setter, and this past year played collegiately for Highlands University.