A lifelong dedication to the sport combined with his athletic ability have made J.P. Stevens High School’s Kyle Mackiewicz one of the top high school volleyball players in the state. CORNELIUS SHAW It should not come as a surprise that Kyle Mackiewicz, a rising senior at J.P. Stevens High School, is a natural when it comes playing volleyball.
After all, his mother, Polina, hails from Brazil, where she played the sport and remains passionate about volleyball now that she lives in the U.S.
Not long after she gave birth to Kyle Mackiewicz, she started open gym volleyball for children and adults in Edison Township. It was at these open sessions that the toddler was first exposed to the game, although his only touches were when a loose ball bounded out of play.
Soon, those random touches became more frequent, and Mackiewicz began to enjoy volleyball because it was fun to play and it demanded an intriguing blend of size, jumping ability, strength and endurance — all of which Mackiewicz possessed. Today, the athlete has been able to parlay all those attributes into a lean body that has made him one of the top high school players in New Jersey.
“You have to understand, in Brazil, volleyball is more than just another sport,” Mackiewicz said. “It’s a part of the country’s culture, just like soccer. My mother wanted to hold onto that when she arrived in the U.S.”
Once he entered middle school, his natural ability began to flourish by attending various camps throughout the school year and summer. It also didn’t hurt that Mackiewicz experienced a growth spurt, which contributed to him turning into a more dominant player.
Now a senior, Kyle stands a robust 6 feet 6 inches tall, and he has combined his height with extraordinary jumping ability to become a lethal weapon at the net. His specialty is the familiar kill — the shot most often associated with volleyball where a player accentuates a point by hammering the ball over the net and to the floor.
Mackiewicz has become so proficient at kills that he broke the school record this spring with 38 in a game, which also tied him for third most in the state. Mackiewicz is on course next spring to become the alltime J.P. Stevens record-holder in kills. He also finished with 338 kills this past season.
As Mackiewicz became one of the premier volleyball players in New Jersey as a sophomore, a number of colleges noticed his talent and offered him a scholarship. Among those schools was Penn State University, one of the top college programs in the country, and Mackiewicz quickly accepted the offer.
“That’s where I wanted to go from the start,” he said, “I’m excited to know I will be playing at my dream school coached by some great people. I plan on majoring mainly in business and am considering pairing that with a double minor in exercise science or kinesiology.”
He isn’t the only Mackiewicz sibling to excel at volleyball. His sister, Lorraine, was an all-state player for the Hawks in 2014 and now plays at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Volleyball has turned into a year-round activity for Kyle Mackiewicz, and it always has the potential to burn him out. However, he said that will never happen.
“No, I’m different because I don’t go to parties or participate in a lot of social outings,” he said. “I spend most of my time on the court and in the gym. I’m very serious about volleyball and have made a full-time commitment to become the best I can be. There is probably nothing greater than the love I have for the sport.”
Well, almost everything. Mackiewicz understands how important it is to be a dedicated student, which is why the honor roll student has worked hard to achieve a 4.2 weighted GPA. “I don’t call myself the smartest person in the world,” Mackiewicz said. “But I make sure all my assignments are completed. With the schedule I maintain, it requires managing my time.”
That means a nonstop day, every day, even during the high school offseason. Typically, Mackiewicz will race from school to practice for either the high school or club team, depending on the season. Now that school is on summer break, he heads to the beach to play that brand of volleyball.
All of this requires adequate rest and a diet high in protein to maintain his stamina.
Multiple people have made an indelible imprint in Mackiewicz’s life besides his mother and sister. Former club coach Anthony Valbrun and Chris Siddayo, his current coach at the Atlantic Valley Volleyball Club, have helped Mackiewicz become an even better player, he said. His high school coach, Anthony White, has also been an important mentor.
Now that Mackiewicz is a senior at J.P. Stevens, he was asked if he might ease off the pedal in order to enjoy his final high school year. Mackiewicz shook his head.
“There’s a motto my club and Penn State coaches maintain that encourages players to become ‘bigger, faster, stronger.’ There is not a day that goes by when I don’t try to implement that in some way,” he said. “I’ll never stop trying to get better.”