Sports
Venice High Eagle Scout Set to Take on Business World
Brennon Chen, the starting setter for the boys volleyball team, plans to use sports and scouting as the basis for his future career.
Just three years ago, Venice senior Brennon Chen was starting his first year of organized volleyball as a junior varsity player. Since then, he has gone from a little-used sophomore to a senior captain and starting setter for the varsity volleyball team.
“There are so many personal qualities I’ve learned from volleyball, especially as a captain now. Leadership responsibilities, like being able to vocalize how I feel to others has helped me, and working with my peers and staying positive,” Chen said.
Chen has been a force on the court this year, leading the team in assists with 128. While Chen is new to being a captain, he is not new to being a leader.
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“I’m an Eagle Scout and that helps me on the court. Boy Scouts is very much about leadership and working with others getting people to do what they need to do. It’s just like being a captain in volleyball," Chen said.
In addition to his work as a Boy Scout, Chen attends the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist temple and is a key part of the Buddhist club on campus, where he is the head of the Junior Young Buddhist Association.
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“We do a bunch of community service work. We fundraise to help out the church at various events like New Years and summer festivals," Chen said.
Coach Allen Hunt could not be happier with the way that Chen has emerged as a leader with several of his player academically ineligible.
“I’ve always said I like people who lead by example. He plays hard all the time and has made an incredible transition," Hunt said. "To go from the back row as a sophomore on the JV to the main setter on the varsity is a great accomplishment.”
College will be Chen's next challenge. He has decided to attend Cal University in Berkeley where he plans to study business. Chen says that he will use the skills he has learned in both Boy Scouts and volleyball there.
“Business is all about connections: being vocal, being outgoing, and making personal connections so that people want to rely on you," Chen said. "Being a vocal leader in volleyball and in Boy Scouts you have to make people do what you want them to do and it’s the same way in business.”
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