After a record-breaking season last year, the varsity volleyball team, co-coached by Sue Wewel and Hailie Williams, hopes to return to where they finished their season. Last season, the Lady Tigers ended with a record of 28-6, defeating teams in the Heartland Athletic Conference to become HAC Champions. They later advanced to state but were defeated in a tough match against Elkhorn South.
At the end of the season, the program lost its seven seniors. This season, three new seniors are rising to the occasion. “Our seniors are doing a great job leading by example. They’ve taken ownership of setting the tone in practice, encouraging teammates, and modeling what it means to compete with heart,” co-head coach Halie Williams said.
With a new season comes great responsibility for the team. While there can be ups and downs in new roles, the seniors are becoming more comfortable. Senior Jenna Ellsworth said, “I believe we are adjusting okay. It is definitely hard and a new challenge we have to face because of how many seniors there were and what they all did.”
This year, the team is very young. Freshman Norah Wagner said, “Being on varsity as a freshman is definitely challenging at times since I’m playing against girls who are up to four years older than me and have more experience in faster tempo games.”
The program has gained many new faces this season. When new people first arrive, it can be hard to play as a team, but over time, it gets easier. “It starts with communication, trust, and accountability,” said Coach Williams. “By building strong relationships off the court and fostering trust in practice, our players learn how to lean on each other during games.”
Along with new seniors and teammates, this season comes with a new rule. A new setting rule has been implemented, stating that there will be no more double contacts as long as the ball doesn’t go over the net on the double touch, meaning a teammate has to take the ball over the net. For many players, this rule comes as a relief.
“I feel like the new setting rule has been a positive change,” sophomore Mya Fiscus said. “It helps extend play, and I think it makes the game more interesting.”
While this season comes with a lot of changes, the team’s goals and expectations do not stop short of what they accomplished last year. “Our goals are to continue building a strong culture of hard work, discipline, and togetherness. We want to compete at a high level every match, focus on consistent improvement, and push ourselves to be better every day,” Williams said.
Success can start on and off the court. Maintaining a good attitude on the court is one of the best ways to achieve success. Williams said, “We want to step on the court with confidence, resilience, and a competitive edge.”
“Win or lose, we want to play fearless volleyball, trust each other, and leave it all on the court,” Williams said.
The seniors play a crucial role in helping the team get back to state. “They bring a new level of passion and aggression that we didn’t have last year. They also push us to constantly be our best, which is so important,” Fiscus said.
With the accomplishment previously achieved, the team is determined to get back and finish what they have started. The team has the drive and determination to accomplish anything they put their minds to. With the leadership of the seniors and the coaching staff, this season will be one that people do not want to miss.
