Having a sibling who is a star athlete can sometimes cast a
shadow.
Kevin Bruce, a senior on Gilroy High’s volleyball team, has had
his fair share of accomplishments. But compared to his sister,
Amanda, a star soccer player at GHS who was named the Female
Athlete of the Year by The Dispatch last May, Bruce’s achievements
have always taken second billing.
Having a sibling who is a star athlete can sometimes cast a shadow.
Kevin Bruce, a senior on Gilroy High’s volleyball team, has had his fair share of accomplishments. But compared to his sister, Amanda, a star soccer player at GHS who was named the Female Athlete of the Year by The Dispatch last May, Bruce’s achievements have always taken second billing.
“Ever since she started touching a soccer ball, it’s been all Amanda my whole life,” he said.
But with Amanda gone – she was redshirted this past fall as a freshman at San Francisco State – the younger brother has come into his own. An All-Tri-County Athletic League selection as a junior, Bruce has developed into a fierce outside hitter that lends a hand in each aspect of the game. He has helped lead the Mustangs to a 17-13 record, a likely third-place finish in the TCAL and a possible home game in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The senior, now known primarily for his timely kills on the court (he’s gone over 20 in three games this season), admits it’s been nice getting a bit more of the attention.
“It’s been great without her,” Bruce said with a laugh. “It kind of gets annoying, sometimes. She’s always talking about how much better at stuff she is than me.”
Greg Calimpong, a junior setter on the GHS volleyball team, believes there is no one better on the squad right now than Bruce. Calimpong should know, he usually has a direct hand in setting up Bruce’s spikes, whether it’s for GHS or the Monterey Bay Volleyball Club, the traveling team they both play for.
“I can always just rely on him because he’s a great hitter,” Calimpong said. “If we’re losing and we need to catch up, I’ll just set him and we’ll get back in it. We rely on him a lot because he’s the main offense.”
Isn’t that a two-way street, though, where Bruce has to rely on the passer to get the point?
“Well, he has to rely on me, I guess, because I’m supposed to give him the set,” Calimpong said.
Bruce thinks there’s more to it than that; there’s a chemistry level that has been developed through hundreds of games over the course of their careers.
“It’s great having Greg,” Bruce said. “I don’t know what I’d do without Greg. He knows where I like the ball and gets it there.”
GHS coach Sue Grogan believes Bruce’s maturity has been immeasurable for her club, on and off the court.
“He’s been an incredible force with this team,” Grogan said. “A very strong, silent type.
“He’s more supportive than critical. He’s not really one to yell and scream. He’s very quiet and reserved unless he gets a good kill or block. (Then) he’ll spark up a bit. He’s one of those good all-around kids.”
Bruce, also a strong student in the classroom as his 3.0-plus grade point average suggests, has plans to attend San Jose State in the fall where he will play club volleyball. After cutting out football and other sports in his sophomore year, his development in the sport has been clear to see, which should only help him and Calimpong when their club competes in the Junior Olympics being held in Utah this summer.
It may have taken a while to get out of the shadow, but in Bruce’s senior year, he’s finally found his time to shine.
Kevin Bruce and Greg Calimpong will be holding a fundraising BBQ to help pay for their club team’s trip to the Junior Olympics. It will be Saturday, May 10, from 1-5 p.m. at 7530 Carmel Street in Gilroy. If you would like to donate money or have questions, call Joyce Bruce at 848-5740 or Yolie Calimpong at 847-1780. The club’s Web-site is: http://web.mac.com/mbvc1
