Shah emerges as South volleyball leader

Boys’ team off to 3-1 start

By: Justin Feil
   Kumar Shah had every reason to be nervous coming into the boys’ volleyball season, but he didn’t want to show it.
   In the first significant varsity action of his career, the West Windsor-Plainsboro South senior couldn’t be anything but confident. As a co-captain and setter, he’s a key component of the Pirates.
   "I’m the one leading the team on the court," said Shah, who is starting after playing sparingly last year for the Pirates. "If I get frustrated, the team will get frustrated. If I get everyone else patient, I know we’ll be able to play our game as well. As long as I’m a patient person, or if they don’t see me getting frustrated even if I am, our team will play its game."
   Though young and overall inexperienced at the varsity level, the Pirates have opened the year 3-1. Shah has been a guiding force in holding the young team together, even as they suffered a difficult three-game loss to Bridgewater-Raritan last week.
   "You need that," said Pirates head coach Michael Adams, whose team plays Watchung Hills today. "The good part about Kumar is, whether we’re playing good or struggling, he doesn’t show panic. He stays with his hitters. He continues to set to them. He has confidence in them. He knows they’re going to make plays.
   "Kumar knows it’s going to come back and swing the other way. Some of the younger guys don’t always see that and lose confidence."
   Shah credits sitting behind Chris Quinlan last year for helping him develop into the leader he is this season. Following Quinlan’s graduation, Shah prepared to fill in for the former Pirate standout.
   "Last year during practice I was always second string," Shah said. "I was always put on the other side of the net. I tried to learn stuff from Chris. He always helped me out. From learning from Chris, I tried to improve as much as I could. Over the summer, I played a lot. I tried to get ready. I knew there was no one else really to step up."
   There was still an adjustment to make when the season began. Shah had done all he could to prepare for taking on the starting role, but there was one thing he couldn’t duplicate in the offseason.
   "The pressure," he said. "It’s nervous starting up. You’re trying to make the run to get the first couple points. You have to run the offense as smooth as possible.
   "I think I’m getting more and more comfortable every game. I’m getting used to playing and making plays happen. I’m not as nervous as the first game. I see a change in my mentality as well."
   Adams has been impressed with Shah’s development. That development is one key for the Pirates to reach their lofty expectations.
   "How he does is probably one of the biggest influences on how we do," Adams said. "How he passes, he has more influence than he probably even knows. He’s the guy. As long as he keeps improving, we’ll keep getting better and better.
   "He didn’t play much at all last year. I got him in some matches. Chris Quinlan was my setter and he was a very good setter. Kumar has a little experience. He didn’t get to play much. He’s really stepping. The more he plays, the better he gets. It shows every match. He’s becoming a smarter setter because he has no choice. You have to make good decisions. Everybody will let you know if you don’t."
   Shah isn’t the only one learning on the job. WW-P South has played better each match as its players have adjusted to playing together. In the loss to Bridgewater, the Pirates got 11 kills from Jin-Sung Kim and eight kills and six blocks from Jae-Hoon Moon. After losing by two points in the first game, the Pirates won the second game by three points, then lost by two points in the deciding game.
   "It was a tough loss," Shah said. "It just didn’t work out for us. We played our game. They played their game. It was who stepped up more and they had those extra one or two plays. Bridgewater is one of the best teams we’ll play all year round. If we can go three games, we have a chance against East Brunswick and St. Joe’s as well. We’ll be one of the biggest teams competing this year.
   "There’s a sophomore starting," he added. "We have a couple other kids who have stepped up and are starting as well now. We’re getting more comfortable playing with each other. The chemistry is clicking, and it wasn’t before. You could see we didn’t know what we were doing."
   It’s early still and the Pirates, whose practices were limited by holidays over its spring break last week, expects to grow better together upon their return to a full schedule this week. It is the most positive sign for WW-P South, which looks forward to its regular-season rematch with Bridgewater as well as tests with East Brunswick and St. Joseph’s.
   "I like that they’re starting to find confidence," Adams said. "There’s youth on the court, but it’s coming along. Even against a team like Bridgewater, where we used to look like deer in headlights, they know they’re good enough to beat them. It’ll be interesting to get them again.
   "They’re the best team we played so far. We made mistakes which later in the season, I think we won’t be making. It’s going to be a different tune. We’ve got a lot of room for improvement. That’s probably the best part. My guys are nowhere near peaked out. As long as we keep getting better and don’t stop improving, it should be a fun season."
   Leading the way is Kumar Shah, who has already seen plenty of personal improvement in the early going. It’s just what the Pirate boys’ volleyball team needs from its senior co-captain as it looks to develop into a serious state contender.