CooSchool sports cultivate a competitive spirit through their frequent rivalry games and the state tournament is the most important part of each sports season. Edmond Memorial High School’s varsity volleyball team left for state on Oct. 19 and after playing and winning multiple days worth of games, the team fought hard and received state runner-up below Jenks High School. This placement is a huge accomplishment that each player worked to achieve throughout their successful season.
Leadership is one of the most important aspects of any team or group activity. Without strong leadership, it is difficult for a team to perform well. Cultivating a strong team bond while also leading on the court is a task that EMHS head varsity coach Natalie Murray and assistant coach Kortney Jones are glad to accept.
“We have a lot of strong layers that know what to do and know what to expect,” Murray said. “They lead with a lot of calmness, which is good for the team.”
Similar to most activities, volleyball takes up a lot of time for teenage players to work into their schedule. Tryouts start in May and practices begin in late July. The season lasts until the state tournament in October. Maintaining this rigorous schedule on top of academics and a regular teenage life is no easy feat.
“Volleyball is year-round for club players . . . We are traveling every weekend,” sophomore varsity player Anne Hopkins said. “I find most of my friends from my teams and have to put relationships aside for the sport.”
Volleyball relies on training and muscle memory to accomplish the proper technique during games and tournaments. Practices contain a lot of repetition in each skill set to create that memory as quickly as possible. Maintaining a calm mindset during each game is a main aspect of the sport, creating another dynamic to practice while other sports may rely solely on physicality.
“When you make a mistake, you have about ten seconds to think about your mistake before the next serve,” Hopkins said. “Having leaders that affirm you is really helpful.”
Leadership’s important role plays hand-in-hand with mentality to create an effective, but kind and respectful atmosphere for the players. Older players keep morale alive and bring younger students into the social group, bonding the team together. Without team bonding, performance can be impaired.
“A lot of underclassmen are afraid of the seniors, so letting them know that we are just people brings us together,” senior varsity player Sybil Beadles said. “I was super scared to talk to seniors [when I was a freshman], so I want them to be able to look up to me.”
This successful season was defined by leadership, mentality, hard work, and of course, performance. Pushing through a busy schedule and physically demanding practices shows the hard work this team put in, and their results show it.
Contact Ian Humphreys at [email protected]
