Bump, set, spike. The volleyball slams into the opponent’s side. It’s an ace. From the top of the bleachers a student calls out “Let’s go Liberty!” the audience rhythmically claps. Then they all call out the chant. 

A few volleys later, when the opposing team makes no effort to hit the ball, the same student chants “There’s a court there!” and the crowd jumps in, clapping and calling out alongside him. 

After every spike, and before every serve, Liam Grams (9) is leading the small – but mighty – student section at the varsity boys volleyball games.

“It started with my friend, he plays on the varsity team,” Grams said. “One week he asked our youth group if we wanted to go. Since then, I’ve been going to his games.”

Ashlyn Genta (10), the JV team’s manager, spotted Grams at one of the first games he attended. 

“I was kind of shocked that he was there, because he doesn’t really hang out with anybody from volleyball. There is really only one person that he talks to,” Genta said. “He started by cheering for him, then he started cheering for everybody else.”

When Grams first started attending games, he knew little about the sport, limiting him to clapping and cheering when Liberty would score. However, it didn’t take long for Genta to change this, teaching him an entire list of chants that correlate with the sport.

“When we are up by a lot and about to win we start to chant ‘start the buses,’” Grams said.

Having a student section cheering and chanting for the players has affected their game play in ways they never would have thought.

“I feel like it’s giving me a purpose to win, to not let them down,” Chase Willnerd (10), Gram’s friend on the team, said. “It’s really boosting all our energy.”

Grams’ initiative to lead the students in chants has brought together parents, players, and peers alike to encourage and support the boys volleyball team.