DeGraff steps into leading role

The turning point in Folsom High's volleyball season came after a disappointing four-game loss to Ponderosa, this coming after seven straight wins to open the season plus consecutive losses to Del Oro and Jesuit. Folsom Coach Robert Raffaelli had seen enough and made some changes in the lineup, one of which was to move 6-4 sophomore Jack DeGraff from outside hitter to opposite. It's a move that has helped the team immensely. "After that match I made the decision to move Jack to the opposite position and Stefan (Stratan) to outside hitter," Raffaelli said. "Since that switch, Jack has flourished and has become one of the team's top offensive threats, as well as consistently being the top blocker. Jack is a very coachable player and absolutely wants to get better at the sport and there are still some specific technical work myself and our other coaches are teaching him that when he gets it, he is going to be very hard to stop. "Jack has flourished in the opposite spot, but is also one of our players willing to keep the ball off the ground at any cost, which often means he's one of the first people to hit the ground to save a ball. Jack has a team-first mentality and is very coachable. Even when off the court, Jack is very vocal in supporting players on the court and keeping the morale up when a set is not going our way. And on a personal note, Jack really enjoys being silly and can keep the mood light when a set/match gets stressful." Folsom Telegraph: What are your hopes/ plans after graduating high school? Jack DeGraff: After high school, I am going on a mission for my church for two years. After that I will go to college. FT: Would you like to play volleyball in college? JD: I don't think I will play volleyball in college, as the mission will probably make it hard to come back to the college level of game play after two years without playing. However, I am still young and developing as a player, so I don't want to rule any options out. FT: Do sports run in your family? JD: All of my siblings like sports, most of them playing two-to-four sports year round. I am the oldest and I love the competition involved in sports, while also getting to hang out with friends. FT: How long have you been playing volleyball and how did you get your start in it? JD: I started volleyball my eighth grade year at Sutter Middle School. I enjoyed the style of the game and had fun playing it, so I stuck with it. FT: Have you ever been involved in any other sports? JD: I have always played multiple sports and still do despite not playing a few of them anymore. I have played basketball, baseball, soccer, swim, cross country, flag football, and volleyball in actual games. I love all of them which makes it very hard to choose just one. FT: What do you enjoy about volleyball? JD: I love that each point is valuable, meaning that we go to a set score of 25 and there is no time limit for when each game ends. I also enjoy the energy that comes with each point. FT: You had a talk with Coach Raffaelli after a disappointing loss to Ponderosa. He said since then you have really picked up your game. Do you remember the significance of this talk? JD: Coach is doing a great job. I love volleyball and have always given 100 percent because that what makes the game fun for me. FT: Tell me about your team. You have won 24 matches and are the third-seed in the tournament? What makes your team so good? JD: Our team, while we are good and have won 24 matches, we have lost 11 games which I think could be quite different with a desire to win every point and also a better camaraderie on the court in both a losing and winning situation. FT: What do you enjoy about playing on this year's team? JD: I enjoy playing with my friends on the team. I also enjoy playing against my friends from my NCVC club team. FT: Who is the funniest person on the team and how does he make you laugh? JD: The whole team is very funny and makes me smile, but Jeffery Pettingill makes me laugh the most. FT: What's your favorite subject or class in school? JD: My favorite class is Pre-calc taught by Mr. Nelson. While it is one of my hardest classes, it is also full of fun and he is a great teacher. FT: Do you have a favorite genre of music or a favorite singer/group/rapper? JD: I don't really have a favorite singer, but I enjoy listening to music, mostly country, when I'm working or at home. FT: Favorite food? JD: I love most food but I really like the beef stroganoff, meatloaf, or chicken divan that my mom makes. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. JD: I don't have any pets. We used to have two goats named Billy and Goatee and also two bunnies named Blueberry and Potato. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? JD: I enjoy lifting and hanging out with friends. FT: What inspires you in sports? JD: I am inspired by my peers as they push me to get better. I also want to be a capable dad for my kids in sports and other things, like my own dad. FT: What job or career are you interested in? JD: I really enjoy finances but I could also see myself going into several different fields.