With spring rolling in as the flowers begin to bloom, boys’ volleyball is just around the corner. With a new season coming into play, veteran players step up to the plate as captains to test out their leadership skills, serving as mentors to incoming players. This year, seniors Nicolas Delgado, Mariano Beytia, and Marco Molinet rose up to the challenge.
Nicolas Delgado
Nicolas “Nico” Delgado is an all-around superstar. Discovering his passion for the sport after his older brother introduced him to the volleyball coach, Delgado has been playing volleyball since his freshman year. Despite never stepping foot on the court, Delgado tried out for the team. Through persistent drilling, by his sophomore year, Delgado was dedicated to the sport as a member of the varsity team. Discovering that volleyball was his true calling, Delgado dropped basketball so he could devote himself to the sport.
“I was struggling to find something that I really wanted to do in terms of extracurriculars, but when I found volleyball, it felt like it was the perfect sport for me. With time, I grew an obsession for it,” senior Delgado said.
Balancing multiple positions as a libero, setter, middle hitter and outside hitter, Delgado enjoys trying out the different positions in an attempt to master them all. Favoring the thrill of playing the outside hitter, Delgado bears the responsibility of scoring points as he blocks the ball when the opposing team spikes.
Truly immersing himself into the sport, Delgado also plays for the beach volleyball team at Gables as a libero. Considering himself a defense connoisseur, Delgado keeps the ball in the air by swiftly diving across the court to save a play. On top of this, in his free time, Delgado enjoys practicing with different club volleyball teams in Miami.
As a new captain, Delgado looks forward to pushing his teammates beyond their limits. Hoping to inspire them to pour in their time and energy when playing the sport, he preaches that effort is the secret ingredient to making progress.
Mariano Beytia
Seeking opportunities to get involved at Gables, Mariano Beytia gave volleyball a chance when his grandmother from Peru pushed for his sister to play volleyball, yet she never caught the love for the sport. Figuring he would give the sport his best shot, he developed an everlasting passion for volleyball. Expressing his appreciation, Beytia makes sure to record all of his games so that he can send them to her.
Training to be quick on his feet, Beytia can be seen all over the court as he plays center and libero. Keeping the ball in play, Beytia coasts through the back row, known for digging the ball and receiving passes from the opposing team.
On the days that he has a game, Beytia prepares by following a pregame ritual. Adopting the strategy of spending time with his teammates before a match, Beytia ensures that the team’s chemistry is at an all-time high.
Outside of school, Beytia used to play for an all-boys club volleyball team, Miami United. Despite qualifying as one of the top boys’ volleyball players in South Florida and competing at a national level, Beytia decided to quit the team to pour all his time and energy into the Gables team.
As one of the captains, Beytia strives to bring the team to new heights. Aspiring to maintain Gables record of winning district championships, Beytia intends to compete at a regional level with his peers.
“I’m excited for the three of them to be captains. They’ve been on the team as long as I have been on the team so it’s nice to see them rise in ranks; It makes me wonder how they’re gonna tackle the job,” junior William Hardie said.
Marco Molinet
Attending a volleyball game during his freshman year and watching various clips of the sport, Molinet gained the courage to try out for the team his sophomore year and has been on the team since. Balancing athletic endeavors, Molinet is also an esteemed basketball player alongside being known for his skills on the volleyball court. Excited to grow with the team, Molinet looks forward to being one of the volleyball captains for the 2025 season.
On the court, Molinet can be seen carrying out the position of an outside hitter alongside being a middle blocker. Handling any action on the left side of the court, Molinet attacks, blocks, and passes as an outside hitter. Fulfilling the duties of a middle blocker, Molinet maintains a high vertical jump, remaining big on defense by blocking the ball.
“One of my favorite moments was when we played True North in a tournament. This win felt special because we had lost to them earlier in the year, but beating them in their own tournament means more,” senior Molinet said.
Valuing the importance of eating a healthy meal to start the day, Molinet tends to have a small lunch to keep his body relaxed in preparation for a game. Leading up to a match, Molinet stretches to guarantee that he will be able to perform to the best of his abilities.
Beyond playing for the Gables team, Molinet is a member of Miami United, one of the best-ranked team for 17-year-old members. Refining his skills in volleyball, Molinet shares techniques he has learned with his fellow teammates at Gables.
Through countless hours of hard work that they have been accumulating over the years, these boys are ready to take the season by storm. The three captains look forward to growing with the team and taking home as many victories as they can. Their first game of the season on Monday, Mar. 3rd will mark the debut of a memorable season to come.
