April 4, 2021 – By NJP
Whenever you have a junior leading your team in three separate statistical categories, you know you are looking at a special player. Central Regional’s Jenna Czajkowski falls into this category.
Jenna is a strong player and has been the anchor on the attack for Central. She is playing outside and can covers a lot of area with her quickness toward the ball. She is currently leading the team in kills with 31, has 26 digs, and has done an amazing job on the service line with 14 aces in just 8 matches.
Czajkowski has great instincts on the floor. She jumps well and has a smooth swing on the attack. She can put the ball down with authority at the net or from the back row. She is a solid and versatile player that makes her teammates better around her.
After losing the majority of their starters to graduation, Central was going to be rebuilding this Spring, but as move toward the Fall, and Jenna’s senior season, there is a glut of quality players waiting in the wings to support the Golden Eagles growth over the next two years. Jenna is anxious to see where that influx of talent can lead them over the next two years. But first, they will need to finish out the current season and have started to gather some momentum with their recent win.
Bayville, where Central Regional high school is located, is in the heart of the shore sector for girls volleyball in New Jersey. It is just south of Toms River which means the Golden Eagles will play the trilogy of Toms River teams as well as other high profile teams at the shore. The schedule has presented some challenges for Central as all three Toms River schools, South, East, and North have solid programs. Central got their first win this past week by getting by Lacey. But the have back to back games with Shore power Southern Regional coming up this week which will be a major challenge.
Jenna has had a very succesfull club experience at OCVBV. She has been playing there for two seasons and despite her great success thus far in her high school career as a 3 year varsity player, next season could elevate her to an elite level in NJ. In a post COVID world, college recruiters will be lining up to add Jenna to their squads. She has an amazing future ahead of her playing the game that is her passion.
Here is our interview with Ms. Czajkowski….
Tell us a bit about yourself, Jenna?
My name is Jenna Czajkowski and I attend Central Regional High School in Bayville, New Jersey. I will be graduating with the class of 2022! My family consists of my Mom, Dad, and my brother. We also have a dog named Sammie.
How long have you played volleyball and what inspired you to take up volleyball initially?
I’ve been playing volleyball since I was in seventh grade. That was the first year Central Regional Middle School started their volleyball program. I grew to love the sport and joined club volleyball my sophomore year of high school. What inspired me to take up volleyball initially was how much fun I had playing it with my family in the summer. For as long as I could remember, my family would set up volleyball nets and we would have friendly competitions. I loved the fact that volleyball was the one sport that always kept you on your toes.
What are your metrics/details? Height, vertical, position, club team, etc. What’s your favorite position to play?
I’m 5’7 and play for Ocean County Volleyball Club. My favorite position to play is outside, which I play for both school and club. Being able to be set from anywhere on the court is always exciting, especially when playing back row.
Tell us about your Golden Eagle teammates. Who are the up and coming rising stars of the program?
I love each and every Golden Eagle teammate I have. We have become a big family and I couldn’t ask for better teammates. Not only do they lift you up, but they keep you on track as well. I’ve built friendships better than I ever could have imagined and we all work relatively well together. Majority of the varsity team has not played together throughout high school, so we have been adapting to each other all season. For only having about a week and a half of practice before our first match, I’d say we did pretty well learning about each other’s abilities in such a short amount of time. One teammate I admire is my setter Ashley Malabanan. The 2020-2021 season is the first season she has played for the Central Regional team. Not only is she a great teammate, but she is an amazing player. She succeeds in every aspect no matter where she is on the court. I also look forward to watching the class of 2023 grow. I’ve been watching their games recently and they’re great players. I feel as if they will be undefeatable by their senior year.
NJP considers you as one of the top players in the state. Are you considering playing volleyball at the collegiate level and if so, which colleges are you currently interested in?
It would be a dream to play volleyball at the collegiate level whether it is indoor or beach. I have not begun looking at colleges yet, but I do plan on reaching out soon!
Central has had a rough go thus far in the Spring. You pushed Toms River South right to the edge in your first match with them this year and you went to three sets with Toms River North. Tell us about those games…
The Toms River South game was, in my opinion, one of our better games. For girls that have barely played together these past couple of years, we worked well together during that match. They have two really great hitters that kept us on our toes and made us move to the ball. It was truly a fight all the way to the end. The Toms River North game was also a good match. They have an awesome libero, Caitlin Beahm, who always keeps the ball alive. We were on the same team for club volleyball, so it was exciting to finally be on the other side of the court. They were the first team we played this season and it was a good fight. I am looking forward to playing both teams again next year.
Tell us about your current coach Jeff Mangold…
Coach Mangold is an amazing coach. He brought me up to varsity my freshman year, something I never thought would happen so early on. He challenged me and pushed me to be the player that I am today. If it was not for Coach Mangold I probably would have not taken volleyball as far as I have and want to. He is a fun coach, but he sure does make us work. His motto is the best six on the court at all times and I always keep that in the back of my head. This has pushed me to work even harder and to make my coaches proud. Coach Mangold is like family to me, along with the rest of the coaches and girls on the team.
Tell us about your experience playing club volleyball at OCVBC?
Although I have only been playing club volleyball at OCVBC for two years, I’ve loved every moment of it. I would definitely say that my sophomore year was the best with my teammates on the 16 National Team. We all worked well together and complemented each other. Some of my best memories are with the girls at the stay away tournaments. Our group dinners were definitely my favorite. Unfortunately, due to COVID our season got cut short and we were not able to finish off the year together. I am currently in my second year of club and it’s been fun, but a little stressful due to all of the COVID restrictions. However, I am excited to finish out the season with my team and play again next fall!
What are your other hobbies or interests?
One of my other interests is spring track. I throw javelin, long jump, and hurdle. I even made it to states my freshman year throwing 99ft. Unfortunately, my sophomore season was cancelled due to COVID, but I am excited for my junior season.
What else would you like us to know about you?
I am a versatile player and enjoy being on the court no matter what position I am playing. I also enjoy playing beach volleyball during the summer. My favorite part is throwing myself in the sand digging a ball.
Who is your support group?
My biggest supporter is my mother, Sheri. She is at every single game and tournament. Whether I do great or have a bad day, she is always right there by my side. I couldn’t be more thankful to have someone like her in my life.
