Contact: Emily Zadny, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302
(Written by Julie Laugel, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Feb. 22, 2018 - Growing up in a family of athletes, it is no surprise that North Central College senior men's volleyball player Jake Braceros was always staying active. He has participated in nine different sports, including karate, tennis, bowling, and cross country, to name a few.  

After playing so many different sports, one would think that choosing just one to focus on would be difficult. Braceros still enjoys competing in different sports and has become involved with intramural sports such as Spikeball, dodgeball, softball, and ultimate frisbee, volleyball is the only sport he still plays in competitively. His interest in volleyball sparked after watching his mother and older sister play when he was young and that interest never seemed to fade away.  

"My mom played college volleyball in the Philippines, so when I was growing up, we watched a lot of volleyball on T.V. Then my sister started playing in sixth grade so we would always go to her games, and I thought the sport was really fun to watch, so my parents put me in it," Braceros said.  
These influences led to Braceros falling in love with the game of volleyball, playing for his high school and even advancing to the sectional championship. When it came to choosing a college or university, the Des Plaines native first decided to stay close to home and take classes at Harper Community College.  

While Harper did not have a men's volleyball team of their own, Braceros did not let that keep him away from the game. 

"I coached at Rolling Thunder volleyball club and then assistant coached for the varsity team at my high school, and I played in a Polish league," said Braceros. "I played every Sunday and was going to open gyms three times a week, so I was staying involved." 
 

Even though he had a hand in the sport, Braceros wasn't sure if he would ever be able to play volleyball competitively again, until speaking with his high school friend and current teammate, Raymond Kraus. 

"I chose North Central because I was at Harper for two years, so I had to choose another college to go to, and Ray told me about North Central starting a new men's program," said Braceros. "I thought that would be cool to be able to be a part of an inaugural season--having that practice part and a team was what I missed," Braceros said.  

Being a part of an inaugural team and sport at North Central was an exciting experience for Braceros. 

"Everyone was excited to play. The whole school knew that we were a first-year program so we had a lot to show in a sense, and I felt like we were really close as a team," he said. "The coaches and team were really excited to play every game and I hadn't ever really been a part of that."  

By having a team that depended on his experience, volleyball taught Braceros a lot about motivation and learning how to work hard for a team, but his biggest motivator came from his family. 

"My mom was my motivator in the beginning, but now I would say my brother, Kevin, because he is playing at a Division I school, so we always talk about different stories, and watch each other's film." Braceros said, "I think having him watching me now, and how he watched me all throughout high school and club games motivates me because now I always want to watch him when he plays." 

With graduation quickly approaching in the spring, Braceros wants to end his last season with a bang. He hopes to win the conference tournament and ultimately, win a national championship. After graduation, he is especially going to miss his teammates and the close bond they've had this year, and his coaches. 

"I feel like the team is the closest group we've ever been, and Coach [Kyle Exline] is one of the best coaches I've ever had. His knowledge of volleyball and how he can talk to us about things that don't even relate to volleyball and life in general is great," Braceros said, "I'll also miss the feeling of being a college student and living on campus--having that freedom, especially-- because I know right after this I'll be doing graduate school and then working a lot."  

Braceros is working towards a degree in Sociology and plans on taking night classes at National Louis University while getting a job as an aid at a high school. He hopes to eventually combine his love of sociology and volleyball to become a high school teacher, while also coaching high school and club volleyball.  

Braceros and the rest of the men's volleyball team host Midwest College Volleyball League (MCVL) rival Carthage College, a team currently ranked second in the nation. The match will be Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in Gregory Arena.