Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Kevin Hansen: Setting up success

Tony Altobelli

Could it have gotten any better for Corona del Mar High boys

volleyball standout Kevin Hansen?

Playing in his fourth CIF Southern Section division title game, Hansen

was able to close out his career on top, helping the Sea Kings knock out

rival Newport Harbor in the Division I title game.

“There’s no way I could have ever predicted that one,” Hansen said. “We

got to play them for the title last year and we lost. I never thought I

would get a second chance.”

The senior setter made the most of that second chance, recording 59

assists while picking up six kills, four blocks and an ace in CdM’s 15-3,

6-15, 15-12, 9-15, 15-6 win over the Sailors, despite dealing with a

couple of nagging injuries.

In Game 2, Hansen sprained his right ring finger, then later, rolled an

ankle over teammate Charlie Alshuler’s foot, limiting his game.

“After the fourth game, last year’s loss to Newport started going through

my head,” Hansen said. “After that, I just tried to block the injuries

out and play a normal game. Fortunately, the other guys really picked me

up and played great.”

Did his Willis Reed imitation stun Hansen’s coach, Steve Conti? Not a

bit.

“Nothing that kid does surprises me anymore,” Conti said. “He’s battled

back from different things throughout his career. In his last high school

match, I would expect nothing less.”

Hansen, who was brought up to varsity during the playoffs his freshman

year, got his first real taste of championship competition the following

year against Santa Ynez in the Division III championship.

“I was very young and inexperienced when it came to CIF playoff

competition,” the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week said. “That year really

helped me become more relaxed and to become more of a leader for the

younger guys the following years.”

Conti agrees. “I think the biggest thing he’s learned over the years is

what it takes to have the attitude of a leader,” he said. “As a setter,

you have to have that leadership mentality because the game plays through

you. When we were in the Sea View League, if you weren’t on as a setter,

the other teams could adjust their games to that and make it a long night

for you.”

The setter’s best night usually happens when the fans hardly notice him

due to the monster slams from the heavy hitters and for Hansen, an

All-CIF selection in both volleyball and basketball, that suits him just

fine.

“I really don’t like to be in the spotlight,” Hansen said. “I’ll just do

my job and make everyone else look good out there. That’s fine with me.”

Now bound for Stanford, Hansen will take a truckload of championship

experience to Cardinalville.

“I’m not sure how much playing time I’ll get right away with the senior

setters they have, but that’s fine,” Hansen said. “I’ve always wanted to

go to Stanford. The prestige, the athletics and the academics are all

second to none up there. They’ve got the entire package.”

Obviously with enough brain power to attend Stanford, Hansen uses that

brain to his advantage in his sports life as well.

“His knowledge of the game is extremely strong,” Conti said. “He knows

where the other players are at all times and he gets the balls to the

right people.”

When he’s not helping his teammates wail on his opponents, Hansen likes

to wail away on his guitar.

“It’s a fun hobby,” Hansen said. “I actually played the guitar for my

senior project as a requirement to graduate. It was a real fun project.”