Volleyball
Favorite athlete: Rodger Federer
Favorite team: Don't have one.
Favorite memory competing in sports: Tournaments. Whether it's volleyball or lacrosse or anything else, going somewhere with your team to play all day and hang out in between games is always fun.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: It happened while playing lacrosse for CB West in ninth grade as a defenseman, during a game at Pennridge (I think). One of Pennridge's players came down the middle, and our defense was going to execute a slide move to take him out. The only catch was that I forgot to get out of the way in time and was hit by our own slide. Pretty embarrassing to get hit by your own defensive play that was intended for someone else.
Music on your iPod: Rammstein, Metallica, Flux Pavillion, Skrillex, Doves, Muse, Five Finger Death Punch
Future plans: Lehigh University for four years, Army for eight years, who knows what after that.
Words to live by: I have always admired Winston Churchill's quote: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."
One goal before turning 30: Reach the rank of Major in the Army.
One thing people don’t know about me: I am an Eagle Scout and assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 71 of Doylestown, Pa.
When he first tried out for volleyball in his junior year, John Kopperman knew it would take a lot of work to hone his skills to where they needed to be in order for him to contribute at the varsity level.
It was a challenge he eagerly accepted.
“It was difficult, but I definitely did enjoy the challenge,” said the Central Bucks West senior opposite hitter. “One of the other players on the team, Connor Logan, was on the same bus as me talking about playing volleyball. He said, ‘Why don’t you come out for the team?’
“I’ve played a lot of sports in my time. I’ve played probably every common sport except football at the school or intramural level. I came out for volleyball in 11th grade just to try it out and I found a sport I really liked. I wanted to be there.”
West volleyball coach Todd Miller said that Kopperman’s dedication and perseverance speaks volumes about his character.
“When he came out as a junior, he was behind everybody else,” Miller said. “But John has a really good attitude, good work ethic. He wants to learn, wants to grow and desires to be a contributor in every way he can be.
“To come in and see everyone in the gym and see, ‘These guys are way ahead of me,’ it speaks to his toughness, because you need to be mentally tough to overcome that situation, to be able to put your head down and work hard get to that level.”
Challenging himself … putting himself in a position where others might shy away … is nothing new for Kopperman.
That’s evident in his past, where his time as a Boy Scout and Eagle Scout have inspired him to become an assistant Scoutmaster for his old troop. It’s evident in his future, where he will join the Army ROTC and serve his country. And it’s evident in his present, where he does everything in his power – on the court and off – to help his teammates on the Bucks volleyball team.
“He’s a team leader without having been voted a team leader,” Miller said. “He’s always encouraging to those around him even though he doesn’t get as much playing time as some of the other guys. He’s always uplifting, never has a negative thing to say, is always encouraging guys whether he’s cheering them on from the bench or out there competing with them.”
“You have to realize that it’s a team effort, and you’re not always going to get to play all you want,” Kopperman said. “We’ve got a lot of talent on the team. There are guys who are better than me. I have accepted my role on the team. But even if you’re not out there, you still have to be positive about it. There’s no room for being down on yourself.”
And it’s hard to be negative when you’re having so much fun. Because when he’s on the volleyball court, Kopperman is all about having a good time.
“I play volleyball to have fun,” he said. “As a player, you have to have fun, or else what is your purpose to be there? Why do anything if you’re not having fun?”
“Having an attitude like that is incredibly important, it really sets the tone for the team,” Miller said. “There are times where we might not be energetic on the court, but he’s still energetic on the bench trying to lift the guys up. He stays positive. Whether he’s on the court or on the bench, he’s there to help uplift the guys around him. He’s willing to serve the people around him.”
That willingness to serve is another long-running thread in Kopperman’s life. In the fall, he will head to Lehigh University, where he received a three-year Army ROTC scholarship. As he works toward a major in mechanical engineering (with perhaps a minor in business), he will also be preparing for at least eight years of service with the United States Army. He will serve four years of active duty, followed by four years of reserve duty.
As one might expect, it’s a challenge he’s both proud and excited to experience.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to serve my country,” Kopperman said. “I’ve always felt that as tough as some situations in America may seem, the worst day in America is better than the best day in a lot of places in the world. I feel very fortunate to live here, and I’ve just always felt obligated to give a little back.”
Kopperman also continues to serve his Scout Troop. A Boy Scout since first grade who has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Kopperman now serves as assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 71, of Doylestown.
“I want to pass on what I’ve learned to the younger kids in the Troop, make sure they have the same wonderful experiences I did,” Kopperman said. “I’ve been involved for 12 years, and there’s always something new to learn. I’ve learned how to use a sailboat, to paddle a canoe, shoot a shotgun, rifle, go camping, survive with whatever you’re pulling out of your pack.”
In addition to volleyball and his Scouting duties, Kopperman is an officer in the school’s Stars and Stripes Club, which collects donations and sends care packages to servicemen and servicewomen deployed overseas and is a member of the National Honor Society and the National German Honor Society. In his spare time, he’s taken piano lessons for six years and dabbles in the guitar as well. He participated in small bore rifle and shotgun through 4-H in the past, and he still uses those skills in teaching shotgun, rifle and archery Camp Ockanickon, a Scouting camp in Pipersville.
And he’s learned that teaching is just as enjoyable a test as all the others he’s encountered in his life.
“Whenever you get a challenge, whether it be learning a new sport, leaning something in Scouting, or even something small like learning a new piece of music on the guitar or piano, during the learning process it might seem like you’re never going to finish or master it, but once it’s done, it’s great when you realize what you’ve accomplished,” he said.
“I learned shotgun shooting when I was 12 at summer camp. It came easier than most things. I guess you could call it a natural skill, but there’s always new challenges. There’s always the challenge of teaching that as well. It’s not the easiest thing to learn or teach, but every time I get a new kid who comes up and shoots for the first time and enjoys it, that’s a good feeling.”
Kopperman also challenges himself in the classroom. While he admits that senioritis has crept in somewhat, he’s keeping himself busy with his classes, including AP Physics, which he calls “one of the hardest classes I’ve ever taken.” He’s also taking AP German and took AP Macroeconomics last semester.
And with his time in the classrooms and on the volleyball court at Central Bucks West winding down, Kopperman is looking to go out on a high note. The West volleyball team recently wrapped up a 12-4 season and will take the sixth seed into the District One Volleyball Tournament. The Bucks will host 11th-seeded Unionville in a first-round game on May 15.
Whatever the immediate future holds for the Bucks, Kopperman plans on giving everything he can to help the team succeed. And he plans on having fun while doing so.
“We know we’re going to have a challenge in the playoffs,” Kopperman said. “But no matter what happens, I just want us to come out for the better as a team and I hope everybody has fun doing it.”
