Lizon dominates the court
Keep your eye on the prize – As his teammates watch with anticipation, senior captain Matt Lizon serves the ball to the opposing team. His coach of three years Juliette Givens said, “I have a lot of respect for Lizon is because he understand that you have to put the work in if you want to get better. He practices just as hard as he plays in games. He is also self disciplined to doing the right thing at the right time.”
June 3, 2016
As a starter and key player for the boys’ volleyball team, senior Matt Lizon hopes to finish his last season in Farmington with a bang. Lizon started his volleyball career as a freshman, moved up to varsity his sophomore year and is currently team captain this season.
“My breakout season occurred during my junior year, and I became a full-time varsity starter and played [all the positions], so basically the entire game I was on the court and playing,” Lizon said.
Last year, Lizon led the team in number of kills and aces and made the All-Conference team. This year, he again was chosen for the All-Conference team but hopes to push it one step further by making the All-State team and playing in the senior All-Star game.
However, his role as captain takes top priority.
“As a captain it’s my job to help encourage younger players, and cheer them on and compliment them and their abilities. I help people with where they should be on the court and give them tips on how to improve their game with little corrections,” Lizon said.
His teammates appreciate his enthusiasm and dedication to the sport.
“Matt is a great captain. He never lets the team down and lives up to his talent every game,” sophomore Vini Munshi said.
Varsity coach Juliette Givens has coached Lizon for the past three seasons and notes his growth as a person in addition to his volleyball skills.
“He understands [that] integrity is everything. He allows himself to be coached because he craves to be a better volleyball player. He is mentally and physically tough. He is okay [with] being uncomfortable; he excel in those situations,” Givens said.
According to Givens, Lizon will join the ‘100 serve club’ for alumni after the season ends. But before that, Munshi and the rest of the team hope that Lizon will help lead them to the final round of the state tournament.
Outside of school, Lizon has played club volleyball for the past three years. In future years, he hopes to continue to play recreationally at the University of Connecticut in the fall and eventually coach his own team.