November 2, 2020 – By NJP

Junior Teagan Fry brings a solid level of overall performance that can stabalize the Bulldogs chances to return to a winning record. It was just three years ago that the RFH powered to a 19-3 record after a 17-1 start. With five seniors returning from last years varsity team along with juniors Teagan and Anna Mulvihill, we could see a strong resurgence.

Teagan broke out last season as a sophomore leading the team with 49 aces and providing solid contributions with digs and kills as an underclassman. With another year of club under her belt, we expect Teagan to continue developing her leadership skills along with major statistical improvements.

The Bulldogs typically schedule about 20 matches each year and with the COVID situation, we may see them at a fraction of that total. So the Bulldogs will need to make the most of every outing and get out of the gate early to compete for shore honors. RFH has jumped up nearly 50 spots in NJP’s pre-season ranking projections compared to last year. It should be a battle for the Shore North B title with St. John Vianney the clear favorite along with Red Bank Catholic but Raritan and RFH certainly in the hunt.

Fry can contribute almost anywhere on the court playing libero for her club at Princeton, outside for her high school team, and now setter for her club team at MOCO. Whether on the attack or on defense, Teagan brings a high level of skill to the floor.

Teagan is a fire plug on the court. She sets the energy trend bar for her teammates and fires up the troops when needed. She leads post-point activity and has certainly showed her leadership skills at both the club and high school level. This is a great sign for the Bulldogs for the next two years as most succesfull teams are driven by this type of leadership.

Here is our interview with Ms. Fry…

Tell us a bit about yourself, Teagan?

I live in Rumson, NJ with my parents, Kathleen and Kevin, my three brothers, Owen, Declan and Eamon, and two dogs. I attend Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, and I am part of the class of 2022.

How long have you played volleyball and what inspired you to take up volleyball initially?

My cousin Vanessa first introduced me to volleyball. She is one year older than me and began playing when she was in seventh grade.  Whenever we went up to visit her in North Jersey, we would toss the ball around together.  It was extremely fun and I decided it was something I wanted to try. I enrolled in a local camp the summer after 7th grade, and I was hooked.  I joined a club team in 8th grade.

What are your metrics/details? Height, vertical, position, club team, etc. What’s your favorite position to play?

Currently I am playing for MOCO´s 18s team as a setter.  I am 5’5″. My standing touch is 7’2″, and my vertical is 9’7″. My favorite positions are setter and libero. They’re very different so it’s difficult to compare, but both positions are super fun to me for several reasons. With setting, you’re deciding who is leading the offense and setting the pace of the game, along with keeping the energy of the team. With libero, you are the foundation of every play, you (usually) pass the first ball and therefore influence the set and the offense. For both positions, you have to be very aggressive with the ball and want to better every play that you are a part of, and as such I really enjoy both.

Tell us about your Bulldog teammates. Who do you expect will be this year’s standout and up and coming players?

My teammates are a great group of people. We have a lot of fun competing together, it’s  difficult to name just one standout player. They all bring a different skill set to the table and it’s always been a very competitive group.

NJP considers you as one of the top players in the state. Do you plan on playing volleyball in college and if so, which ones are you considering?

I would love to play in college!  I have just started seriously investigating colleges, and while I am definitely keeping my options open, I am primarily looking down south and out west.

What is your expectation for this year’s Rumson Fair Haven squad?

Hopefully we are able to have a season, a season with restrictions is better than none at all. I expect us to have a competitive season, I know that all of my teammates are very excited to get back in the gym and get better on the court, so I’m really looking forward to it. For the season itself, there’s definitely going to be more competition and a lot of high energy matches.

Tell us about your Club volleyball experience at Princeton VBC…

It was definitely a formative experience for me, and one which I’m super thankful for. My coaches were kind and patient and made us into a competitive team. Every practice everyone worked extremely hard and everyone had an unshakeable focus on becoming better. All my teammates were quite friendly and it was always fun when we would go to tournaments and hang out in the hotels and watch movies together.

As a sophomore, you posted 49 aces, 103 digs and 38 kills. What are your personal goals for the 2021 spring season?

My personal goals are to, of course, increase my aces, assists, digs, and kills along with to increase my vertical, diversify my serve, and begin spot serving more often.  It’s really important to me to also become more consistent in my level of play, I always want to push myself to the next level.

Can you tell us about your best memories from your freshman or sophomore year seasons?

In my freshman year it was amazing to be brought up to varsity, all the girls were super kind to me and I felt so welcomed. In my sophomore year it was playing against SJV and winning against RBC. Both schools are a big challenge for us as they’re very solid teams, so having close matches and/or wins against them is always a major deal for us.

What inspires you?

A lot of things inspire me, but what I’ve tried to internalize is the idea that while others can inspire you and push you, your biggest fan has to be yourself. The only person there when you’re finishing that difficult workout, or pushing yourself to do well in a challenging class, is you. You have to be strong enough to get yourself through it.

Who is your support group?

My main support group are my parents and friends. They’re always there to listen and give great advice.  My mom and dad love to cheer at the games! Thanks guys!

Have you won any awards such as All County or All State or others?

I was picked as the MVP at a tournament my freshman year, and defensive player of the year at my school my sophomore year.

What are your other hobbies or interests?

I enjoy running/fitness, baking, and reading. Whenever I have some downtime I enjoy taking my dogs to the beach, watching movies, or hanging out with my friends.

What do you plan to study in college or what is your career path?

I plan to take the pre-med track.  I am interested in epidemiology and neurology.

Who is your favorite college or pro volleyball player and why?

I really look up to Victoria Garrick and Gabby Blossom, they’re both amazing players and role models. I was able to meet Gabby Blossom through Penn State’s summer volleyball camp, and she had a very helpful setters’ clinic that I felt really improved my form; and Victoria Garrick’s advice and genuine care for younger players is always very helpful and informative.

Is there a teacher or coach who really helped you along the way?

My freshman volleyball coach, Coach Calvin, really pushed me to be my best. He demanded our commitment physically and emotionally to the game.  He didn’t let us get away with anything,  he pushed me to push myself and I did!  I grew as a player and demanded more of myself.