BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL : Family’s Last Sailor Sets an Example

Russ Gan was once told he was too slow to have a future in volleyball, that there was no way he would follow his older brothers and sister through Newport Harbor High’s program.

A gym teacher at Ensign Junior High broke the news to Gan. He was just too slow, physically, to keep up with the sport’s pinball-machine pace.

Fortunately for Gan, he didn’t listen.

“He pulled me aside and told me he had another setter, one who was quicker,” Gan said. “He told me I might get cut. I ended up as the MVP of the team.”

Five years later, Gan is not only still playing volleyball, he has all but mastered the setter position.

His soft hands and feathery sets led Newport Harbor (17-2) to Orange County’s No. 1 ranking and the semifinals of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs. His performance this season makes him The Times Orange County player of the year.

“Russell gets to the ball that a lot of other setters could never get to,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “Then he makes a great set. He’s a quiet leader, one of those kids who is very steady and never gets frustrated.”

Gan, the fourth and last member of his family to play for the Sailors, made his senior season a productive one.

He was the MVP of the Orange County championships, which the Sailors won. He and teammate Justin McIntee were co-MVPs of the Sea View League.

Gan, McIntee and Sailor middle blocker Frank Griffo have been selected to play for the North team in the Orange County all-star match Friday night.

Despite all the accolades, Gan’s final season didn’t end the way he had wanted. The Sailors, top-seeded in the Southern Section 4-A playoffs, were upset by eventual champion Santa Barbara in the semifinals.

“I was really disappointed that we didn’t make the finals,” Gan said. “But making the semifinals was still great. We had a great season.”

Gan is only 6 feet, and his height could limit him somewhat at the college level. But several schools have shown interest, including USC, Cal State Long Beach, University of the Pacific and Hawaii.

“That position really has no height limit,” Glenn said. “He’s good enough to play at any school. It’s like being a point guard in basketball. He does so many things to help his teammates, that height really doesn’t matter.”

Gan has played for the Sailors four seasons. After a season on the junior varsity, he joined the varsity as a sophomore and started the last half of the season. As a junior, he earned all-section first-team honors after leading the Sailors to the 4-A finals, where they lost to top-seeded San Marcos.

Glenn said Gan’s work ethic makes him a top player. Gan has missed only one practice in four seasons, and he had a good reason to.

“His father was having an operation and Russell had to go donate blood,” Glenn said. “He has always been my hardest worker in practice.”

Gan started playing volleyball as a fifth-grader, tagging along with his brothers and sister to clinics and practices at the Balboa Bay Club. He didn’t like the sport much at first, but developed a knack for setting and played for two of the club’s age-group national championship teams.

But Gan was a part of Newport Harbor volleyball long before he played there. He was a regular spectator at home matches, watching brothers Darryl and Jason and sister Anjanette play.

Darryl played on Newport Harbor’s 1986 playoff team. Jason sparked the Sailors to the section title a year later. Anjanette played from 1986-89, helping Newport Harbor to a section title as a sophomore.

Russell’s final match ended an era at Newport Harbor. The Sailors will not have a Gan in their lineup next season, the first time in eight years.

“It’s really sad,” Glenn said. “Those kids have been fun. They made coaching (them) great.

“It’s a great family. We’ll miss them.”

The Times’ All-County Boys’ Volleyball

FIRST TEAM

Player School Yr. Position Aaron Garcia Capistrano Valley Jr. Outside hitter Russell Gan Newport Harbor Sr. Setter Frank Griffo Newport Harbor Sr. Middle blocker Justin McIntee Newport Harbor Sr. Outside hitter Chris Swanner Irvine Sr. Outside hitter Jeff VanderWal Huntington Beach Sr. Middle blocker

SECOND TEAM

Player School Yr. Position Claude Doumerc Huntington Beach Sr. Eric Fegraus Laguna Beach Sr. Outside hitter Bryan Lawson Capo Valley Sr. Outside hitter Joe McCarthy Edison Sr. Outside hitter Krister Olsson Woodbridge Sr. Outside hitter Chris Pitzak Esperanza Jr. Setter

FIRST TEAM

Player Comment Aaron Garcia Led Cougars to section quarterfinals Russell Gan Led Sailors to county’s No. 1 ranking Frank Griffo The county’s top middle blocker Justin McIntee Led Sailors to section semifinals Chris Swanner Signed with Cal State Long Beach Jeff VanderWal Sunset League’s MVP

SECOND TEAM

Player Comment Claude Doumerc Led Oilers to 4-A finals Eric Fegraus All-county in football and volleyball Bryan Lawson Led Cougars to share of league title Joe McCarthy First team All-Sunset League pick Krister Olsson First team All-Sea View League Chris Pitzak Led Aztecs to the 3-A finals

Honorable mention: Sam Barbee (La Quinta), David Berney (Laguna Beach), Aaron Cook (Laguna Hills), Doug Finnell (Valencia), Aaron Forrister (Whittier Christian), Matt Fuerbringer (Estancia), Israel Garcia (Fountain Valley), Mike Gledhill (El Toro), Brad Goldston (Esperanza), Matt Hagen (Dana Hills), Brady Hamilton (Irvine), Mike Herrera (Garden Grove), Doug Hesse (Corona del Mar), Chris Jones (Huntington Beach), Rich Lambourne (Foothill), Mark McAnlis (Newport Harbor), Eric McElvie (Capistrano Valley), Jason Mickartz (Irvine), Danny Neumann (Calvary Chapel), David Newman (Woodbridge), Paul Nihipali (Esperanza), David Revell (Trabuco Hills), Chris Riebe (Woodbridge), Chris Seale (Laguna Beach), Eric Seiffert (Capistrano Valley), Aaron Seltzer (El Modena), Derek Slingsby (Corona del Mar), Josh Snyder (Edison), Ryan Steelberg (Corona del Mar), Greg Sternchak (Santa Margarita), Ryan Travis (Santa Margarita), Greg Wakeham (Irvine), Troy Wooton (Huntington Beach), Jon Young (Valencia).