The volleyball team has a history of good performance ever since the school first opened, and it is safe to say that the team is only improving as the years go on. They play every fall and practice over the summers to prepare for the upcoming season.
“We have super high expectations for this season,” said Coach Allison Merrell. “I think just coming together and continually improving, we have our sights set on really big long runs in the postseason.”
Although there is only one freshman joining the team this year, the relationship between the players is only getting stronger as the season progresses. The time and effort put into the practices helps the girls come together for one shared goal and a forever bond.
“I have seen lots and lots of improvement, I think in the area of chemistry it has gotten a lot better,” said Merrell. “The relationships and trust are a lot better too which all filter into creating a better skill set.”
The goals for the team have been consistent over the years, but the strategies to achieve those goals have undergone some changes. The coaches all work together to come up with a different approach in order to get the players’ game ready.

“We want to finish first in district, that is probably our number one goal,” said Merrell.
“I think once we get to a certain point in district we will set our goals for the postseason. We know that we want to go on a long run but we haven’t specifically talked about that aspect yet as a team.”
Practices take up one class period and there are different periods for junior varsity and varsity. The girls do lots of different routines and exercises that help enhance their skills as a player and on the court.
“We do a lot of game planning, we watch film, we take notes, so typically the practice before we have a big opponent we are talking about what we need to do to exploit their weaknesses and we always do fundamental work,” said Merrell.
The upcoming season not only brings excitement for the team but it can also bring some worry and stress about performance. With all the team’s hard work and dedication, there is always some concern on performing to the best of their abilities.

“I think just getting everybody in the same mindset, game ready, is always a concern because they are 15-18 year olds, but just making sure that we have our priorities straight is a focus for us,” said Merrell.

Despite the stress towards the future games, the coaches and team look forward to working towards their goals and communicating together on how they can better themselves individually and as a team in order to have a successful season.

“I love to compete and this group competes really well, whether that’s in practice or in matches,” said Merrell. “I think the journey is the thing I’m looking forward to the most.”