A new school year has begun, and so has a new volleyball season. This year, the team is not only welcoming returning players, but new athletes as well, specifically freshman and sophomores. The frosh soph volleyball team is having an impressive season so far, winning nearly every game they have played.
Cat Chamagua, the FS team captain, grows with the players as they get to know the court and each other. She states that she is “Super proud. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to work with them. We’ve all formed a super strong bond as a team and as friends.” She continues to talk about the smaller gestures that the team does to show how close they are. “We wear green ribbons in our hair during home games. It symbolizes the fact that we’re a team and that we're always going to stick together, even if we lose.” Thanks to the fact that the team has been practicing all summer, the comradery has only been strengthened.
Other players on the team agree. “I’ve definitely become a better player,” says Jay McFadden, a middle blocker and sophomore . “I’ve gotten better at communicating. I’ve become more confident in my skills.” He continues to say that he’s nearly always had fun, feeling genuinely excited about going to something as simple as practice. “It’s always a lot easier to play your best when you’re comfortable with the people you’re surrounded with.“
But being a high school athlete isn’t always exciting and can be challenging sometimes. Lupita Aguilar-Bermudez, a sophomore and outside hitter on the team, explains that she has had difficulties, with schoolwork specifically. “It’s hard being a tenth grader and having so many projects and tests and still being responsible for your spot on the team,” she explains. After being asked if she would recommend middle schoolers to join, however, she replies confidently, “Of course. It’s such a great experience, such a fun way to make new friends and meet new people, as well as learn a new skill.”
Victoria Gonzalez, an outside hitter on the team has a lot to say about their number of wins. After playing against different teams at different levels, she’s learned something new about the way she and the team work together. “We’re always going to go for the win, sure,” she remarks assuredly. “But there are going to be times when we’re down a lot of points, or when we’re competing against super strong teams. And those are the times when we need to show our game faces, we need to show what we’re made out of.” She continues to talk about how she’s not going to let a team that they can clearly beat take their winning streak away from them. “We’re super self-confident. We’re proud of our number of wins and we’re not going to let just any team steal that away from us.” She adds that she knows that the season is young, but, “If we can win now, we can win later in the season, as we get more experienced in the way we play.”
The team claims that their love for volleyball came early, although not all of them learned how to play in the same way. Cat started playing recreational volleyball in fifth grade and quickly became passionate about the sport. Jay states that he enjoyed the sport because it came naturally to him. Other players, such as Sarah Vergara, say that she simply started to mess with the ball during lunch and after school. She states that once high schoolers started to play with her she began to consider joining a team. “It was one of the best decisions I ever made,” she announces with pride. “I love volleyball; it’s so much fun, and when older kids join in, you immediately think, this is so cool.”
And it seems as though older players have noticed the feeling of joy that FS plays with. Izzy McBride, a junior and JV player, says that there is something really special about the new group of players. “They’ve been kicking butt,” she jokes. “But seriously, there’s a lot of talent in that team. You guys are really serious when it comes to games, and that usually doesn’t show up in younger players. When FS gets to JV, they settle down a lot.”She notices that a lot of players are making progress as well. “FS this year learns really fast. I’m scared that one of the players might take a spot on varsity.” When asked about the future of the volleyball team, Izzy has confidence. “You’re all going to relax a little more, and become more comfortable with your presences on the court.”
The Girls FS Volleyball team has just ended their season, undefeated.
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