The Orange County Register’s All-County boys volleyball Player of the Year is Beckman’s Spencer Olivier. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Orange County Register’s All-County boys volleyball Player of the Year is Beckman’s Spencer Olivier. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Orange County Register’s All-County boys volleyball team includes Corona del Mar’s Diego Perez, Corona del Mar’s Patrick Paragas, Newport Harbor’s Cole Pender, Player of the Year Beckman’s Spencer Olivier, Corona del Mar’s Mitch Haly, Servite’s Garrett Halsey, and Corona del Mar’s Jake Meyer, from left. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Alex Griffths is the Register’s boys volleyball coach of the year. (Courtesy Alex Griffiths)
Corona del Mar’s Jake Meyer is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Servite’s Garrett Halsey is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Diego Perez is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor’s Cole Pender is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Mitch Haly is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Huntington Beach’s Alexander Anastassiades has been selected to the Register’s All-County boys volleyball team. (Courtesy Huntington Beach volleyball)
Corona del Mar’s Diego Perez is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor’s Cole Pender is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor’s Cole Pender is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Patrick Paragas is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Patrick Paragas is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Servite’s Garrett Halsey is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Mitch Haly is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Jake Meyer is a member of the Orange County Register’s 2017 All-County boys volleyball team. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Orange County Register’s All-County boys volleyball team includes Corona del Mar’s Diego Perez, Corona del Mar’s Patrick Paragas, Newport Harbor’s Cole Pender, Player of the Year Beckman’s Spencer Olivier, Corona del Mar’s Mitch Haly, Servite’s Garrett Halsey, and Corona del Mar’s Jake Meyer, from left. Photographed in the gym at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, CA on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Halfway through his sophomore season, Spencer Olivier worked his way into the rotation for the Beckman boys volleyball team.
He soon became a permanent fixture.
“He was new to volleyball and we had to get him out of the habit of wanting to tip the ball,” Beckman coach Darin McBarin said. “I told him if he continued to tip, I will sit him. His contact point is higher than everybody and we had to get it through his head that if he made errors, we will be fine with that.
“I wanted him to get into the habit of using his size and length.”
Olivier listened and turned in two spectacular seasons, breaking the school kill record in consecutive years and leading the way as the Patriots became one of the top teams in the county.
For his efforts this season, Olivier is the Register’s boys volleyball player of the year.
“I didn’t like volleyball at first because I jammed my fingers a few times,” Olivier said of his early days in the sport before high school. “Then I got into a more competitive team and it was more fun and I loved it.”
His junior year at Beckman was when Olivier took a big jump.
“He knew in the offseason that he would be the go-to-guy when he came back,” McBain said. “He was the man when he showed up for his junior year.”
Olivier recorded 507 kills as a junior, breaking the school record held by Chris Long, and he led Beckman to the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals and the SoCal Regional semifinals.
“It was a big shock to see how much better I got throughout the years,” Olivier said. “I’m stoked that I was able to do it.
“The junior year was the one when I made the jump from lower level to a higher level. I started working out more, lifting weights, (and I got a) chiropractor to work on my knees.”
He was able to take his game to another level in his senior year, recording 512 kills as the Patriots were again one of the top teams in the county.
“And what was impressive is that we played fewer sets,” McBain said. “This year, everybody knew what type of player he was.”
The higher expectations were something Olivier came to accept during his final two years.
“It is a lot of pressure, but I like it,” Olivier said. “It gives me that adrenaline. People know that I’m going to get the ball and I have to get the kill, so it motivates me.”
Olivier will continue his volleyball career at Long Beach State, a hot destination for some of the county’s top high school talent in recent years. McBain expects Olivier to do what he did initially as a sophomore.
“He has some work to do,” he said. “His passing has come along the last two years and he has to jump serve a bit tougher. Offensively, he’s going to put balls away … I think he’s going to break into their lineup eventually.”
