State looms ahead for volleyball team

“You have to look at a season as a process,” said varsity volleyball coach Jona Braden. “Every practice, every match is an opportunity to get better.”

For the past eight years the varsity volleyball team has at least reached the state quarterfinals. The team won the title in both 2005 and 2008, and last year they lost in the last match of the GHSA AA state championship. Braden sees this year as another opportunity to clinch the state title.

At the end of last year around 40 girls signed up for volleyball.  There are currently only 14 players on the varsity squad. Braden believes  the sport is competitive and not everybody is able to make it on the team.

“You wish that everyone could be a part of the possibilities,” said Braden. “Cutting a player is something a coach never wants to do.”

Freshman Isabelle Dadd went through the tryout process and ended up making the junior varsity team.

“The [tryouts] were really intense,”said Dadd. “They lasted three days.”

Braden expects  hard work will pay dividends throughout the season. In keeping with that philosophy, the volleyball team practices five days a week to reach the standard they set at the beginning of the season.

“The end result,” said Braden, “is a culmination of what you do from the beginning.”

With a current record of 16 wins and eight losses it is too early to tell how far the team will go. With a 66.7 percent win rate, they are already falling behind the 2008 state championship team which had a 95.2 percent win rate. In that season, the team’s record was 40 wins and 2 losses.

Despite their current record, junior Kerrie Greene has high hopes for the coming year. Greene thinks the importance of team chemistry helps tremendously out on the court.

“The relationships we have with people are so important,” said Greene. “If you’re playing out there with your friends, it makes everything easier.”

Braden continued with Greene’s point.

“Team chemistry,” said Braden, “is absolutely the most important part of what we do.”

As the season progresses, the squad believes it will be ready by the time the state championship begins. Braden thinks it is essential to take the season step by step and build the team one match at a time.

“Bringing a group of athletes together, establishing our standards, our code of honor and playing the best teams in the state – everything builds from that,” said Braden.

As the season progresses, the squad believes it will be ready by the time the state championship begins. Braden thinks it is paramount to take the season step by step and build the team one match at a time.