Living as the Libero
Libero Alfred Reft has come a long way from the benches of UC-Santa Barbara

By Ashley Monfort

Alfred Reft may not fit the physical image of a volleyball player, but at 5 feet 9 inches tall, the University of Hawaii's senior libero has been regarded as one of the best at his position. Reft's coaches and teammates commend him because of his combination of technique and knowledge for the game.

"Defensively, he reads the game better than any other libero," said opposite hitter Lauri Hakala. "He's very technical and he's very good all-around. He can pass all kinds of serves. He doesn't have any weaknesses that stand out so nobody can go after him."
Reft has come a long way from the sidelines of the University of California-Santa Barbara to the starting position at Hawai'i. Still awestruck by how successful his volleyball career is, Reft's confidence and sound play is paving the road for a tremendous year in men's volleyball at Hawai'i.

Reft's accolades and awards are plentiful. He received All-American first-team honors from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, American Volleyball Coach's Association and the Asics/Volleyball magazine last season. Reft is the only returnee to have played in all of Hawaii's 102 games last year.

Early Beginnings

The California native began playing volleyball with his older sister, Cheryl, when he was 10 years old. He would follow her to volleyball practices - much to her dismay. "She would get so mad because our parents would make her take me," Reft said. At the gym, the team would teach him the basics that became his foundation for knowing the game. He says he's blessed because he developed from playing with older players at such an early age.

Ironically, while at the University of California-Santa Barbara, this All-American saw little to no playing time. He said that he was the 16th man on the team. With no expectations or second thoughts, Reft decided to give the Hawai'i team a chance. He came thinking it would be a great place to play and didn't care if he was the starting libero or the 5th libero, never imagining where it would lead to.

"With all the adversity I went through wanting to play and not playing ... I knew that I could play." Reft said. "And it's not any kind of cockiness it's not like I though I was great. I just knew that if I got my chance I could do it. The coaches said I had a shot at it so I wasn't going to settle for anything less."
After red-shirting, Reft became a stand-out his junior year which eventually led to a spot on the men's volleyball team for the World University Games in Turkey. With that opportunity, he was able to train for few weeks with the men's national team in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"I walked in the first day and I was like 'I can't believe I'm in the gym with [the national team],'" Reft said. "It was scary quite frankly and I was questioning if I was good enough to be there. It's such a phenomenal feeling and it really gave me a lot of confidence. It was such a big benefit for me to be there and to gauge yourself with the best in the world."

Reft's volleyball resume will be even longer after his senior year as the men's national team has taken an interest in having Reft try-out and play.

"[He is] definitely on their radar," said UH Head Coach Mike Wilton.
Although he has become a star in the eyes of the volleyball community, Reft always has his team in mind. He can talk for hours on the amount of praise and respect he has for his teammates. The biggest lessons he's learned about the game are not technique or how to increase his stats but to be an influential team player.

"More than anything you learn - or at least I have learned - not to just individually enhance my playing but how to really be good for the team," Reft said. "I think over the years I've played I've just learned how to have better dynamics with my teammates and that's so important I think you want to make everyone feel comfortable and confident on the court."

With that thought process, he was unanimously voted team co-captain along with outside hitter, Matt Carere. With the two as leaders, Reft says he will do anything it takes to get their team a national ring this year at the NCAA men's volleyball championships.

Coach Wilton said Reft is always the first to come and the last to leave and puts in extra time at the gym. "Because he works so hard and because he's such a team player people absolutely have to have respect for him," Wilton said. Luckily for Rainbow Warrior fans, the once barely noticed figure in Santa Barbara seems to have finally found his fit in Hawai'i.

"Maybe it was coincidence, maybe it was what some people say there was a plan for me," Reft said. "I don't know. I just see it as, I was very fortunate. I came at the right time. I see it as - I guess you could call it a blessing."
*Editor’s note: next two subjects in text boxes

Other Links
Men’s UH Volleyball Official Website
            http://www.uhathletics.hawaii.edu/sport.html?p=11