Volleyball team builds connetions to improve game

As the volleyball goes in to the circle in between points, senior varsity captain, Skylar Fernadez reminds the team they got this. They just need to breathe. This really helps the team calm down and bring home the win.

“She is much more caring and she makes sure all of our bodies are okay,” junior varsity captain Cassia Cobb said.

With the new coach, Kaite White, the team is less stressed this season than last season.

She really cares about making sure the team is in health. She even has a snack bucket for the team; they can get a snack anytime they feel the need.

“That makes us want to play a lot harder for her,” Cobb said.

Having a better relationship with Coach White encourages the team to work harder for her as well as the team. Instead of yelling she encourages the girls.

“Preseason was kinda rough. We did go 0-3 in preseason, none of us were really expecting that, but we’re all really thankful that happened,” Cobb said.

The three losses in a row made the team work hard in practice, and become more focused.

This resulted in wins for their first conference games and taking out a top team, Bentonville.

“Our team is really good about anybody can do any job,” Cobb said.

One interesting and useful thing the volleyball team is good at is the ability to change positions if needed.

For example sophomore Caylan Koons got injured during a game, so sophomore Josie Mccroskey and  junior Taylor Rushing filled in for her despite the fact they don’t play the same position as her.

“Obviously we want to win state but a lot of us just want to be close together and have a family,” Cobb said.

Having a close team causes less problems and makes working together a lot easier. The players want to play harder for their team.

“We had a connection last this year…  it’s like way stronger and I think that helps in playing” Fernandez said.

The team is much closer than the team was the year before.

“We always cheer each other on and we make sure that if someone’s down on the court, we make sure that we’re picking them,”  Fernandez said.

One way the volleyball team as being come a family is by encouraging the team, even when they aren’t doing the best.

“My goal is to be just keep being a leader and I know I’m the captain of the team but that doesn’t mean anything unless you’re being the leader that you need to be,” Fernandez said.

She wants to be a good leader not only for the underclassmen but also her senior friends.

The team won’t work if the leaders don’t. She is always trying to lift everyone up and be accountable for their responsibilities.

“It’s going good so far and we’re really excited to keeping going and we really need to keep injuries out cause we keep all get hurt but when we keep those injuries out we’re all really put together,” Cobb said.