DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:Nielsen seizes season for CdM

Blaine Nielsen isn’t one to take anything for granted.

Every practice, every drill, the senior on the Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball competes to win. When the team readies to run lines and everybody in the gym knows Brad McCoy is going to win, Nielsen still summons every ounce of speed to try and knock him off.

When Nielsen tore ligaments in his ankle two days before his club team left for the Junior Olympics in Kentucky, Nielsen still hobbled aboard the plane. Knowing he couldn’t play he took statistics, compiled game footage, scouted teams and cheered on his teammates.

Corona del Mar started the season sluggish, the passion was missing. The talent wasn’t, as the Sea Kings began the season the No. 2-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division II. But Nielsen was not content to ride it out, doing his best to inject some emotion into the Sea Kings.

At the Best of the West Tournament the Sea Kings were looking at a rigorous schedule, with three to four matches a day. Less than a year removed from an ankle injury and lingering pain from tearing his patella and the bursa sack in his knee bursting his sophomore year, Nielsen could have approached the tournament lightly. After all, Corona del Mar Coach Steve Conti planned to monitor Nielsen’s time because of the injuries.

But Nielsen was not about to take his time on the court for granted. The 6-foot-4 outside hitter’s play helped the team to the tournament title and he was named Most Valuable Player, earning Nielsen Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week honors.

Nielsen recorded nine kills in a three-game victory over Santa Barbara, which ranked No. 3 in CIF Division II, for the title. Nielsen, who will play for UC Santa Barbara next season, had eight kills and four blocks in a two-game semifinal victory over Valencia, that doubled as knocking off the top-ranked Vikings and revenge for last season’s section title match.

And afterward Nielsen was pain free, but he still iced both his ankle and knee.

“Once you get going you don’t notice it,” said Nielsen who was icing his ankle and knee Tuesday night. “I’m surprised with how it performed. Usually by the second day of a tournament I can hardly move. I expected to wake up in the hotel on Saturday in super pain.”

While the knee and ankle were fine after the tournament, Nielsen’s voice was not.

“I’m a firm believer in a lot of communication,” he said.

That is not limited during points, but extends to in-between points, in timeouts, before and after games and throughout practices. And Nielsen’s intensity is infectious and usually results in positives for the Sea Kings.

“It’s just my personality,” Nielsen said. “I always scream and yell whether I’m having a horrible game or not. When it’s quiet it’s boring. Spencer Brown, him and me usually get going, get yelling. David Yi used to get into it last year, but he graduated. It just gets rolling over from one player to the next. Our middle blocker Dylan Davis, he’s usually quiet. He had a few blocks and he went wild and started playing better.”

Senior setter Phil Bannan, who has played with Nielsen for four years, said his teammate has been the same throughout his high school career.

“He always pushes everyone,” Bannan said. “He’s yelling at everyone, getting us pumped up. He’s always trying to win every game in practice. He’s always been a pretty humble guy.”

Bannan added that having Nielsen on the outside takes a lot of pressure off him.

“I can always set it outside to Blaine,” Bannan said. “I can always depend on him to be there to finish the point. He’s a big part of our game. He’s one of the best passers on the team, he’s really solid.”

With Sea Kings’ outside hitter Adam Smith out with a broken hand Nielsen’s play is all the more important.

“I really thought he elevated his game to another level,” Conti said of Nielsen’s play at the tournament. “He plays with a lot of fire and energy.”

BLAINE NIELSEN

Hometown: Corona del Mar

Born: Sept. 26, 1989

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 195 pounds

Sport: Volleyball

Position: Outside hitter

Coach: Steve Conti

Favorite food: Carne asada tacos

Favorite movie: “300”

Favorite athletic moment: “Winning the Best of the West Tournament and getting MVP. I was shocked and excited. [The team] congratulated us. Phil Bannan made the all-tournament team. We couldn’t have done it without the entire team.”

Week in Review: Was named MVP of the Best of the West Tournament after recording 31 kills on the final day, including nine in the 22-25, 25-22, 15-12 title-match win over Santa Barbara on Saturday.