Professor a regular on the volleyball court

To some faculty, Princeton is more than a place for learning and teaching in the classroom. For professor Steve Garner, a member of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, some of his favorite moments have been spent neither in the lab nor in lecture, but on the volleyball court.

Over the last 11 years, Garner has practiced with the men's club volleyball team. Though he does not compete with the team, he attends practice three times a week and serves as an integral part of the program.

"[At club volleyball practice,] I tend to go overboard to not be intimidating and to make it clear that I'm not going to usurp your space or dominate your game. I'm just here to keep in shape personally and maybe offer some insights because I've been playing for so many years," Garner said. "I try to be helpful ... I like to be service-oriented."

Garner first started playing volleyball when he was a graduate student at MIT and has since played recreationally and competitively, playing at the BB-level in local leagues. He also has served as a coach in various capacities and has a thorough technical understanding of the sport.

While Garner is a longtime volleyball player, his decision to play with the club squad came in an unexpected way. Garner regularly worked out at Dillon Gym, and one night saw the team playing there. After Garner had watched for a few minutes, one of the players asked Garner if he wanted to join.

"I was touched by that, the fact that I was invited to play just by standing there," Garner said. "They didn't mind that I was older, and every year since it hasn't been a problem."

Besides giving team members technical advice through his participation, Garner is also invaluable as the unofficial team "historian." His observations over the years have given the team an institutional memory that few, if any, other club programs can match. Because he has played with the team for so many years, he can provide insights as to what drills or techniques have worked well for the team in the past.

"I can talk about what the group looked like eight years ago when there is absolutely no overlap whatsoever [of current players]," Garner said. "I can tell them how the practices were organized, and it's quite different from year to year — it depends on how much energy they have."

His knowledge of past successes and failures often comes in handy when designing practice routines.

"Our club team is kind of cyclical," senior Sam Albert, who served as president of club volleyball last year, said. "Some years it's stronger; some years it's not so good, so he knows what some of the better teams have done — how the better teams have kept high practice turnouts ... All the guys really respect him."

And while he does not compete with it, Garner helps out whenever the team needs a referee or other assistance during competitions. Garner is one of the more committed members of the team, attending nearly every practice.

In spite of his regular contributions, Garners sees himself simply as a teammate — not as a coach or adviser — and gives the students complete freedom in deciding how to organize the team, only offering advice when asked.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"You can get a lot of feedback from how you're running the practice through him," Albert said. "He's always someone good to bounce ideas off of because he knows what works, [and] he knows what doesn't work."

Though the team is currently dominated by undergraduates, it has had a stronger graduate student presence in years past. Despite the changing composition of the team, Garner is still the only faculty member to have ever practiced regularly with the team over the last decade.

Garner cites scheduling as the number one obstacle to drawing faculty to play with club volleyball, as the team practices at night during the week.

"It's one of the few sports where you can continue to play competitively into middle age," Garner said. "You can play at the double BB-level right into your middle age, and it's not unusual. It's good for the students to see that."

Even one faculty member's presence is enough to show students that playing volleyball can truly become a lifetime hobby. His presence has undoubtedly inspired students over the years to continue to play long after they walk out of FitzRandolph Gate.