The varsity girls volleyball team has been through its ups and downs but always prioritized stable, close relationships with one another. Led by coach Lauren Wright, they had a fluctuating season, with a win-loss score of 15-20, including their most recent match against Liberty High School with a score of 0-3. Despite these struggles, the girls continue to persevere, preparing for their next season.
Olivia Kim, 12, one of the three team captains, has been playing volleyball since she was a young girl. Although she started off on a casual recreation team, she soon discovered her strong passion and has played seriously ever since. Kim uses that same motivation to keep the team’s spirits up. She always encourages them and makes sure they remember volleyball just as a sport and not as an overwhelming pressure.
“I tell [the seniors] ‘it’s our last chance to make it right so let’s try and do it the right way and have fun with it,’” Kim said.
However, it’s not a journey without obstacles, especially with the stress for new improvements. One sophomore player, who has been on the team for two years, finds it difficult to stay optimistic.
“The hardest challenge has been coming off of last year and not winning any games in the district, to having a chance of making playoffs,” Izzy Bucholz, 10, said.
Despite all the setbacks, the team is rapidly developing through dedicated practice. The repetition of arriving at school in the early morning can be tedious for a lot of players, including Presley Weber, 11, who’s endured early morning practices since her freshman year, but she admitted they were all worth it.
“We’re winning some games so that’s definitely giving us a boost of confidence to do better,” Weber said.
Having a strong support system also helps the team on and off the court. Weber noticed that once the team got closer, they began playing better.
“I feel like they really lift me up whenever I’m down, and that’s just a good thing to have,” Weber said.
The girls spend so much time with their fellow players that they’ve formed close bonds united around their shared passion for volleyball.
“My best friends now are from when I started playing volleyball,” Kim said.
She occasionally finds it hard to balance her duties as a captain and the fun times with her friends but gains fulfilling experiences despite the challenges.
“It’s always fun playing with your best friends because even though you want to win, you have a job to do,” Kim said. “You’ll always have those memories.”
Volleyball has helped shape the girls’ lives in many ways and made a positive impact on who they are today.
“It’s impacted my life so much from creating memories with so many friends, meeting so many different people around the city, and making a bunch of memories that I can always look [back on],” Kim said.
For the girls on the team, the connections they’ve created with their coaches and teammates are lifelong friendships that will be treasured forever.
“You don’t play a sport you don’t love!” Kim said.