New Mexico

Volleyball for boys, too – at least for one

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2024

Roughly 450 miles from his Portales home, 11-year-old Adrian Abarca clutched a first-place trophy in a Dallas gym. Pride glowed beneath his blonde hair.

Could you blame him? His sets helped Next Level Volleyball Club – based in Lubbock – to win a USA Boys Junior National Championship in late June. But in that tournament, which hosted 250-plus boys’ teams of various age levels from various U.S. states and Puerto Rico, Adrian’s mom, Jennifer, pointed out another reason for her son’s joy: The realization he wasn’t the only boy who played volleyball.

“I think that kind of gave him some encouragement to keep going,” Jennifer Abarca said.

Boys’ volleyball is growing nationally, if not in Clovis or Portales.

Clovis and Portales High School don’t offer it. There aren’t any local, boys-only clubs at the high school level in either community.

If Adrian wants to continue playing as he grows up, his best bet may be club teams in Amarillo or Lubbock – both nearly four-hour round trips.

Amy Hancock, a coach at Next Level Volleyball Club, said the low participation rates in Clovis and Portales is chiefly a byproduct of the stigma that volleyball is meant for girls – not boys. Jennifer said Adrian “is the only boy,” in one co-ed league in Portales.

As a result, there isn’t anyone those like Adrian can look up to for inspiration. His mother said she doesn’t know any boy from Portales who has charted a volleyball course to the college level.

Despite participation in the sport “jumping 56% in the past decade” at the high school level, according to the National Federation of State High School Association, boys’ volleyball remains dwarfed in relevance by football, basketball, and baseball locally.

But Adrian said he doesn’t see being the only boy as a negative. Instead, it’s a source of pride.

“I think it’s cool to be the only boy that plays volleyball in Portales,” he said.

And despite the complications, the sport can afford opportunities that others can’t.

A case of supply and demand, Hancock said the youth surge has prompted more colleges to field men’s teams. With player spots to fill, that means schools are offering more scholarship opportunities than ever before.

Players don’t need to be generational – just good enough. A vast difference compared to football where floods of talented players go unsigned by colleges every year.

Hancock said one player she coaches, “is going to be a part of a brand-new collegiate program in Minnesota” this year.

“The programs are growing and there are scholarships and ways for boys to go to college to play volleyball, if they’re willing to just put it out there and go for it,” Hancock said.

Local recruitment doesn’t hurt either.

Set to spend the night, one of Adrian’s friends recently watched a sand volleyball practice from the sidelines. Adrian said he started to have “fun.” Getting to see the sport’s fast, pinballing energy and the unique camaraderie between teammates dispensed a sense of curiosity.

“He was thinking about maybe joining,” Adrian said.

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New Mexico

New Mexico Forward Party moves toward recognition as minor party

Published

3 hours ago

April 10, 2026

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New Mexico Forward Party moves toward recognition as minor party

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New Mexico

Route 66 Visitors Center hosts free New Mexico concert series in Albuquerque

Published

15 hours ago

April 10, 2026

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Route 66 Visitors Center hosts free New Mexico concert series in Albuquerque

BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. – Bernalillo County says the reopened Route 66 Visitors Center will host free Saturday concerts for eight weeks featuring New Mexico artists.

The concert series starts Saturday April 11 at 12 p.m. The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame will present the shows.

The lineup for the opening event includes Ivon Ulibarri and Café Mocha followed by Son Como Son. The release says local food trucks and Tractor Brewing will provide food and drinks.

The programs will run every Saturday in April and May beginning at 12 p.m. Other performers include Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra, Mariachi Promesa, Picoso, Red Wine Band with David Nunez, Sorela, Hillary Smith & Chill House, Animated Jukebox and others.

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New Mexico

Rain and thunderstorm chances increase across New Mexico Friday

Published

1 day ago

April 9, 2026

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Rain and thunderstorm chances increase across New Mexico Friday

Grant’s Thursday Evening Forecast

Showers and storms will become more widespread across New Mexico Friday afternoon and continue into Saturday. Windy weather will then return Sunday and early next week.

Upper-level moisture is increasing across New Mexico Thursday, leading to a few isolated showers and thunderstorms. Unfortunately, the air near the ground is still very dry, so much of that rain is evaporating before it reaches the surface. That is also creating some locally gusty winds. Thursday has been even hotter statewide, with more of New Mexico climbing into the upper 70s and 80s.

The isolated showers showing up on radar will fade overnight, but cloud cover will continue to increase. Better low-level moisture will move into New Mexico tonight and Friday, helping produce more showers and thunderstorms by Friday afternoon. With that increase in moisture, more rain will make it to the ground Friday afternoon and evening. A couple of storms could become strong in far eastern New Mexico. Rain chances in the Albuquerque Metro will increase after 3 p.m. High temperatures will stay very warm to hot across the state.

Rain will continue overnight into early Saturday morning in parts of New Mexico. That broader area of rain will weaken through Saturday morning, with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms lingering into midday. Areas that miss out on overnight rain will have a better chance of seeing storms Saturday afternoon. A few storms could become strong to severe in eastern New Mexico, with gusty winds and small hail as the main threats. Temperatures will be cooler Saturday afternoon.

Drier air moves in Sunday, leaving just a couple of showers possible in northwest and northern New Mexico. Winds will start to increase Sunday afternoon, with the strongest winds expected Monday. Southwest wind gusts Monday afternoon could reach 45 to 55 mph. Rain chances will return to western, central, and northern New Mexico Monday into Tuesday as a strong Pacific cold front sweeps across the state. Cooler temperatures will follow Tuesday afternoon. Warmer, drier, and calmer weather returns later next week.

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