by: Sofia Colignon | staff writer

With a full schedule of games since the first week of August, the varsity volleyball team is already in district play and will face their rivals, the Rattlers, this week.

“The team really came together and even though the outcome wasn’t what [the team] wanted, [they] all still worked really hard,” senior Brianna Muller said. 

Playoffs will be a welcomed challenge to the team, who is excited to play big district rivals, such as Reagan.

“Those are always fun, and they bring us closer together,” Adkisson said.

Of course the team hopes to have a prosperous playing season, that isn’t the sole goal of the team.

“Mostly I just want my players to improve athletically, academically, and play together as a team,” Coach Ellen Shoemaker said. “I had volleyball coaches growing up and they really shaped who I am as a person today. I want to be able to be that mentor for student athletes just like my coaches were for me.”

With a strong offense, the team looks to improve their defense and their confidence levels. All of which, according to Shoemaker, are critical in the team’s success.

“Confidence is a huge part of the sport,” Shoemaker said. “In practice we talk about mental errors all the time, because most of the errors we have are from confidence gaps. If you play confidently on every point you will play well. Don’t get discouraged and keep working hard. There will be players that have played since they were in diapers, but that means nothing. Hard work and discipline will pay off.”