TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa native Kyle Dagostino was a standout volleyball player at Berkeley Prep. He went on to play at Stanford and turned pro after graduating in 2019. Dagostino's career took him to Europe, where his passport filled up very quickly.
"Slovenia, Germany, Finland and most recently France," Kyle said as he listed the countries he's played in professionally. "I had to get a new passport about six years before the expiration because I’d filled the book."
Now, Kyle's on the U.S. National team, and he said it's a little extra special to wear a jersey with your country's name on the front.
"Playing for the Stars & Stripes, it’s been a dream of mine for a long time," he said via video chat. "But it comes with some added perks along the way. And I think that makes the whole experience a little more special."
The Dagostinos are the definition of a "volleyball family." Kyle's sister, Mackenzie, played at the University of Florida. His father, Randy, is considered one of the best high school coaches in Florida history. His mother, Lauri, played at South Florida and teamed up with Randy as a nationally-renowned club coaching duo. Lauri said they saw her son's potential at a young age.
"It was rare to see some kid who could literally practice by himself," she explained. "He didn’t have to have a coach practicing with him. He didn’t have to have a team around him. He would make up games and was just completely content doing that."
Lauri also admits that it's just plain cool to have a son play for Team USA.
"Knowing how hard Kyle has worked. He had this crazy goal as a little kid. So when you see that happen and you see your child reach that level and they’re attaining their goals, I think there’s no more you can take as a parent than knowing that."
Kyle plays the libero position, so he isn't the one you'll see in the highlight reels hitting big spikes or making big blocks. He's the quarterback of his team's defense, and that gives him a unique perspective of the game.
"It is impressive. I think it's a remarkable display of human athleticism," Kyle detailed. "There are a lot of good players in the world right now. And my job as a libero is to try to mitigate how many points people can score as best as I possibly can."
Next week, Team USA competes in the Volleyball Nations League tournament that showcases the best international teams from across the globe. Next week's tourney takes place in Anaheim, CA. It's the middle of a three-week tournament that weighs heavily in the qualification process for the ultimate goal: a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"If we don’t qualify at the end of the summer, it basically comes down to world rankings," Kyle added. "So we need to make sure that we’re in the best possible spot at the end of this year, heading into next summer."
Team USA opens the competition July 6 against Cuba. For a complete schedule of events, click here.
