Barrington’s Colin Castagna tackling volleyball stereotypes

Colin Castagna draws more than a few stares when he takes the court for the Barrington boys volleyball team. Not that volleyball players are soft, but Castagna sure doesn’t fit the mold.

“Yeah, I get a lot of comments,” said Castagna, whose muscular 6-4, 225-pound frame is the result of years of weightlifting and a football career that dates back to first grade. “I don’t see myself as such a gigantic guy, but that’s just me.”

Castagna is an anomaly in the world of volleyball. Few players who dabble in a second sport choose the physically rigorous world of football, and even fewer football players who choose to play a second sport opt for the technical and tactical demands of volleyball.

But last fall, Castagna wrapped up an all-state caliber football season with 120 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, leading Barrington to a 10-2 record and a Class 8A state quarterfinal appearance. This spring, he is hitting at a .400 clip with more than 180 kills and 35 blocks for the Broncos (26-8).

“Football is my first love,” Castagna said. “I’ve been playing football forever. But I’ve had a lot of fun playing volleyball.”

Castagna, who was named the Mid-Suburban West Player of the Year, has certainly has left his mark on the Barrington volleyball program.

“Colin is obviously an extremely talented athlete, but I’ve been most impressed with his work ethic and his leadership,” Barrington coach Rob Ridenour said. “The kids in our program look up to him because he is compassionate and he’s one of the hardest workers in the gym. That’s an incredible combination.

“On the court, he is having a great year. He has an impact on each match. Even when teams try to stop him, he has opened up opportunities for other players allowing us to have a well balanced attack with four players with more than 120 kills. We are really going to miss him next year.”

Castagna began playing volleyball in seventh grade at the urging of his friends. As a sophomore, he was a reserve on the Barrington team that finished third in the state behind 6-8 USC recruit Tommy Leonard.

“That year was amazing,” Castagna said. “Volleyball is so different from football. It’s not about how big you are. It’s about your skill set. It’s about proving how good your skills are.”

Beginning next fall, Castagna will only be trying to prove how good he is in the classroom. He turned down offers to play football from Wisconsin and Penn State to attend Loyola and major in biochemistry.

“It was probably the hardest decision I had to make in my life,” he said. “But football wears on you. I just felt it was time for me to be my own person. I have no regrets. And I still will be able to play recreational volleyball and play on the beach.”

Where it is highly unlikely anyone will be kicking sand in his face.