Kempsville’s Carson Strawbridge is taking volleyball success from the beach to the court
Not only has Carson Strawbridge raised expectations for Kempsville High volleyball but also the city of Virginia Beach.
Strawbridge teamed with Ocean Lakes’ Leandro Cortado in 2019 to win the USA Volleyball Beach Nationals in the U14 age group, then won another U14 national competition a week later with California’s Sean Kelly.
“My cousin and everyone I’ve known from here was telling me those Cali boys are gonna whoop your butt,” said Strawbridge, now a Kempsville senior. “They’re a force to be reckoned with. And ironically I went out and I won it.
“I was like wow, I’m actually good at this sport. It’s not just my little Virginia Beach town. It changed my life.”
Strawbridge has since placed second twice and fourth in those competitions with Cortado his partner for two of them. But back in high school, Strawbridge has helped bring Kempsville from district also-ran to top-five power.
Kempsville (15-7) is ranked No. 4 in Hampton Roads and has been a mainstay in the Top 15 since his freshman year.
“Making a name for Kempsville and building a team that everyone can count on and cheer on and have a great time when they go watch means a lot to me,” Strawbridge said.
A slender 6-foot-3 outside hitter, Strawbridge is a gregarious leader who constantly encourages teammates during matches and fellow students to watch those matches.
“I’ve had a lot of my friends come out,” Strawbridge said, “and they’re like, ‘Wow! I never knew volleyball was so interesting,’ and I’m like that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. You see someone go up and thump a ball down it’s like someone hitting a home run.”
But at 8 years old, Strawbridge had to be convinced to try volleyball.
“My sister was in a fours coed league for U12 at the beach and they needed another boy,” Strawbridge said. “So my mom was like, ‘Carson, you’re gonna come out.’ I was like, ‘No, not happening, mom. That’s a girls sport.’ Before I knew it we were in the second game and I was overhand serving and my sister had been working on that for three to four months and she was really mad.
“I was quick to find out I was kind of a natural at it.”
Beach volleyball continues to grow in popularity with colleges adding it as a mostly women’s sport. Only three colleges have men’s beach volleyball on the East Coast so Strawbridge is keeping his options open for indoor or club. With five siblings, he wants to stay close to home.
One younger brother, Wyatt, is a freshman at Kempsville.
“It’s a dream come true (playing with Wyatt),” Strawbridge said. “Nothing better than your brother setting you a ball and you going up and pounding it 10-foot line and your look and that’s your little brother that you’ve trained and grown up with your whole life.”
The beach game has helped both with speed and power.
“One of the biggest thing is your muscles in your legs get a lot stronger,” Kempsville coach Tim Gamble said, “because you have to jump out of that sand.”
All the additional attributes will be vital as postseason nears. With Strawbridge — who missed all but five matches last year due to injury — Kempsville has gone as far as the region semifinals once.
And Gamble, in his first year with the team, is raising the bar.
“When I walked in here and I took over the team, what they said to me is we want to make it to at least the semifinals,” Gamble said. “I looked at them and said, ‘Guys, I’m here to get us to states. Why not states? Why not us?’”
Strawbridge has aligned with that goal and he’s eager to lead the Chiefs to new heights.
“As a player he’s kind of the heart of the team,” Gamble said. “They feed off of him.”
Ray Nimmo, ray.nimmo@pilotonline.com
