Kyle Caldwell closed out a phenomenal high school career Thursday.
Yet on graduation day, an hour before grad night, Caldwell’s final boys’ volleyball match for Newport Harbor High still ate at him.
“We had to close it out and we didn’t,” said Caldwell, referring to the Sailors winning the first two games and following that up by losing the next three and the CIF Southern Section Division I championship to Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach last month.
“I hope we all learned from that setback.”
There have been other obstacles during Caldwell’s four years as a Sailor. A broken left foot, ankle surgery on his right foot, a broken left middle finger, and a broken right foot.
Through it all, Caldwell battled and excelled.
By the opinion of many experts, Caldwell was the top prep volleyball player in the country.
Locally, that makes him the hands down No. 1 choice to be this year’s Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Boys’ Volleyball Dream Team Player of the Year.
Caldwell proved it in his senior year with his versatility. You rarely see 6-foot-8 setters like Caldwell on the high school level.
A player that tall is usually a big-time outside hitter, or a middle blocker pounding kills.
Caldwell delivered more than that. He controlled the action with his all-around game, finishing with 751 assists, 224 kills, 81 digs, 63 blocks and 63 services aces.
“He really could play anywhere on the court and play superb volleyball,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “We’re going to miss him.”
Caldwell said he already misses Glenn and his teammates. He’s off to college to play for UCLA, the most storied men’s volleyball program in the nation with 19 NCAA championships.
There will be opportunities to win the big prize on the next level. Sure a CIF Southern Section title eluded Caldwell. And it still bothers him, even after leading the Sailors (31-4) to their first section title-match appearance since 2000 and a 10-0 Sunset League championship.
Caldwell has accomplished a lot and garnered a lot of awards, from being named the Orange County Male Athlete of the Year by the Orange County Athletic Directors Assn. to making first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division I, earning the Sunset League’s Athlete of the Year after receiving the league’s MVP in volleyball and Co-MVP in basketball. He was also the Newport-Mesa Co-Player of the Year in basketball.
