Standing at 6’9, senior Grogan Kraus stands apart from other students for his performance as a middle blocker on FHN’s boys varsity volleyball team. From winning the GAC’s his junior year, to winning two major tournaments on his club team senior year, his leadership as a captain and player pushes the volleyball team forward through competitions.

“He’s one of the keys to our success,” FHN’s Boys Varsity Head Coach Robin Yuede says. “He’s our middle, he gets lots of kills, he blocks a lot. He is definitely one of our leaders on and off the court.”

Kraus’s accomplishments have caught the attention of Missouri S&T, the college that Kraus has chosen to commit to. Not only have they provided him with scholarships for his academic and athletic achievements, but they are also creating their first ever men’s volleyball team. 

“I get to be the start of something that’s going to turn into an amazing program,” Kraus said. 

Kraus wants to major in computer science. With the continuation of his volleyball career, he can pursue both of his passions simultaneously at S&T. 

“School is a decent pace, club is faster, and college is three times as fast as the club,” Kraus said. “It’s going to punish me more mentally and physically. In the end, it’ll work out. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

The importance of college is education. Although Kraus may try to thrive in volleyball, he still has to maintain his academics. Luckily, S&T’s Head Volleyball Coach, Andy Halaz, understands that education should take priority over sports.

“When we talk about priorities for our student athletes, we have a system,” Halaz said. “Education and family, volleyball, and social life. They’re gonna be doing those jobs for much longer than playing volleyball.”

Because this is S&T’s first men’s volleyball team, Halaz understands that he will not know where the team will rank for their first year. Even so, Halaz is optimistic for their future, and believes in the players of their newly formed volleyball team.

“I expect us to be competitive,” Halaz said. “I’ll say we’re in the middle of the pack. We will come in with the talent. We will beat a good number of teams.”

Originally, Grogan struggled with volleyball during his freshman year. Sarah Kraus, Grogan’s mother, was a little hesitant when he first played volleyball, but wished she had exposed him to the sport earlier.

“Some of the boys have been playing volleyball since they were ten years old,” Sarah said. “Grogan started when he was 14. It’s the only regret I have.”

Even with the late introduction to volleyball, Grogan pushed through his lack of experience with dedication and determination. Even with his inexperience, he still managed to catch up with the other players.

“It has been my honor to watch him grow as a player and watch him mature, not as a player but as a young man, as a leader,” Yuede said. “That was not him freshman year. He is a role model for the underclassmen.”

Grogan has grown mentally and physically stronger during his time at FHN. With his passion seen with a clear path, he knows where to go next.

“Do what you want to do and have no regrets about it,” Grogan said. “If you have that mindset, you’ll find doing stuff outside your comfort zone, and you’ll enjoy it.”