Poway High’s Daniel Hornyak wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived for the U-19 National Volleyball Team Development Program in Anaheim.
“I was just impressed with how many guys were huge,” said the Titans sophomore, at 17 the third-youngest player invited.
“When I walked in, I noticed I was looking at the others at eye-level (he stands 6-9 ½). I was immediately accepted and although I would have played any position, they asked me to play the opposite outside hitter, which is what I play at Poway.
“They really didn’t ask me to do anything different than usual, except maybe to be a more vocal leader. So, I became a more vocal leader and discovered that got me more engaged in the match. This was different than any other volleyball I’ve played in my life.
“When you go to something like this, there is always one guy who is obviously the best player, and that was Chase Wallen (Santa Margarita High), a 6-foot-6 setter. He a junior who is already committed to Stanford and clearly had the best hands on the team.”
On May 8, the group was told who had made the team, and on a group chat, Hornyak learned he would be one of 14 players heading to Canada to represent the United States team that played in the NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) Continental Championship in Burnaby, British Columbia.
They had one practice together before leaving and another when they arrived.
A total of two practices before beating teams from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Panama and in the semifinal, a quality group from Mexico.
Poway’s Daniel Hornyak on the attack in the NORCECA Continental Championship in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Hornyak was playing with the USA team, which made it to the championship but lost to Canada 3-2. (Courtesy NORCECA)
That advanced the USA into the championships against equally unbeaten Canada and although they played very tough, Canada prevailed 3-2.
“We had plenty of chances to win,” said Hornyak, who started every match. “The competition was very high-level, very tense, but it was fun. We were tied 2-2 and unfortunately lost in the fifth game, 17-15. We just didn’t put it together and it might have hurt we only had two days of practice.
“There were probably 700 people there and 400 were from Canada. I have no doubt that if we’d played in the U.S., we would have won. Canada was very good and we made some mistakes we hadn’t made before.”
Daniel Hornyak, a Poway High junior, serves at a NORCECA Continental Championship game in British Columbia, Canada. After making it all the way to the finals with the USA team, he returned home to play in playoff games for Poway’s baseball team. He also played this spring on the volleyball team. (Courtesy NORCECA)
While Hornyak was away, the Poway high school volleyball team lost an Open Division playoff match to Francis Parker, 3-1, ending their season. He did get back in time to join the baseball team — he played both sports all spring — but the Titans fell in the first round of the Division playoffs to Grossmont, 5-2.
That meant Hornyak would shift his attention to playing on the Coast Volleyball team, which will compete in the 17-under Club Nationals July 4-7 in Orlando, Florida.
“I was bummed we lost,” he said of the school volleyball team. “I was really tired when I got home, but it was a good tired, and I slept for hours. It didn’t feel the same when I got back to playing baseball after missing all that time.”
He said he would not trade that experience for anything and he’s nicely set up to represent his country again next summer in the 19-U Pan Am Cup, whose site is still to be determined.
“We’ll have a week of practice before we go, wherever it is” said Hornyak. “I feel I brought energy and good offense. I passed the ball very well and at 6-9 ½, I was the second tallest player on the team. From the start I was extremely confident I could make the team.
“It was an amazing opportunity to play for my country and wear ‘USA’ on my shirt.”
Being this high on the list, might he be one of those invited to try out for the American team that will play in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles?
“Just the thought of doing that will be enough to make me work hard (the next two years),” he said. “This experience was super sick and I can’t wait to play on this team again.”