PlayersTeamThe Quarantine Series: Johannes Brink

As some ‘stay at home’ quarantine orders can be perceived as a time of boredom and isolation, some of the Stunners have decided to use this time to better themselves. They do this by working out, picking up new hobbies, or rehabbing their tired bodies after a grueling season. One Stunner that is using this time as more of a vacation is veteran Stunner, Johannes Brink. Johannes is originally from Norco, California in the Inland Empire, but moved out to Newport Beach in Orange County to play at Orange Coast College after high school.

After OCC, Johannes went on to play at Cal Baptist University, and then with Blizzard Volleyball (Now Stunners). He has established himself as a dominant force in the NVA as an opposite hitter for the Stunners over the past four years and is seen as a leader for the team. Johannes has spent most of his time in quarantine down in Newberry Springs at his family’s lake house where he has been able to relax and focus on himself for a while.

Johannes considers himself an outdoorsy person and loves to be active, with dirt-bike riding as one of his favorite pastimes. “Riding motocross has always been my first love and passion, even before volleyball,” he said. In addition to just riding, Johannes mentioned how he loves to work on his restored motorcycle, and all of the nuances that go into such a project. “I really wanted to understand the mechanics behind a dirt bike, so through video tutorials on YouTube I was able to get to work,” he stated. Other ways Johannes remains active is through other extreme sports like surfing and wakeboarding. 

Johannes continues to find ways to keep a positive outlook during the era of COVID. That positive outlook also bleeds over into volleyball and the upcoming NVA season. 

“Now with the world slowly opening back up, my thought process has switched over to volleyball mode, even though we don’t know what to expect this upcoming season,” Johannes explained, “I am grateful for any type of season I can get with my team. The boys on the Stunners are going to give everything they got every practice and game, nothing is going to hold us back from completing our goals this season”

One thing that Johannes is sure of, is that the time off is good for everyone who has been dealing with injuries. Johannes has been rehabbing a hurt shoulder and is now feeling better than ever. He exclaimed that his healthy shoulder is ready to put “holes in the floor from bouncing so hard.” We look forward to seeing that, be sure to follow Johannes and the Stunners.