Haverford High School’s Stefan Bilc is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The junior outside/opposite hitter and captain leads the Fords (9-3 as of May 15), one of the top teams in District 1 3A, in kills and aces and is second in digs and blocks. He has made several all-tournament teams this spring, including the Easton High School Tournament and Haverford Invitational. His father, Alin Bilc, played professional volleyball in the 1990s. Off the court, Stefan Bilc is on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee at Haverford High School.
Q: What part of your game are you currently working on the most?
A: Right now, I am working on having a consistent jump topspin serve that I am able to control so that I can serve it anywhere on the court with power.
Q: How do you view your role (on and off the court) as a team captain?
A: My role is to encourage my teammates to keep working hard and get better every day, leading by example. During the game, my role is to be supportive and to pick them up if anyone makes an error, in order to move on to the next play and win.
Q: What has been your favorite memory of your Haverford volleyball career to date?
A: I am very grateful to be a part of this team and I appreciate everyone on it. Qualifying for districts this year is a great feeling and I am looking forward to playing at home in the first round of districts. My favorite memory so far is the team dinners that we had throughout the season this year because of the bonding we had as a team.
Q: What sparked your original interest in volleyball? Have you always been an outside/opposite hitter?
A: Volleyball has always been in my life. My father played professionally and has coached for a long time. I didn’t start playing until 8th grade (I played soccer up until then) when my dad was offered to coach the 14s team at a club nearby called Club Lehigh Power. For my club, I usually play as an opposite but I enjoy playing outside much more because the position has more responsibilities.
Q: Who have been your biggest volleyball mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: My biggest mentor is definitely my dad, but I also learned a lot and am continuing to learn from other coaches, from Yorktowne volleyball club Josh Brenneman and Terry Ranck. In addition, Chris Ho from Club Lehigh Power helped me tremendously, working with me on techniques in all of the skills in volleyball.
Q: What is your favorite course at Haverford High? What do you think you’d like to major in at college?
A: My favorite course at the moment is marketing. I would like to major in business in college because the business world is competitive, as I am, and I want to follow in my dad’s footsteps.
Fun facts – Stefan Bilc
Favorite book: The Maze Runner series.
Favorite TV show: The Last Dance.
Favorite movie: The Matrix trilogy.
Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: “The mountains in Romania.”
Favorite pre-game meal: “A Wawa hoagie, an apple, and a Kind bar.”
Person I most admire, and why: “My mom and dad. They immigrated from Romania to give my sister and me a better life and they taught me what hard work is.”
Family members: parents Alin and Carmen, sister Bianca.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
