The Lady Bearkats volleyball team this 2022-23 year has adapted to a new coach, played in more tournaments than practices, and is still striving for their best as a team.
The players have had so little time in practices to bond as a team and it’s been a big challenge for them, according to Volleyball Head Coach Cameron Shoffner. However, they continue to stay optimistic.
“As of right now we do work good together, but we could work better together,” senior Kailyn Lee said. “Once we get some more practice and bonding, we could be a very good team.”
This time bonding and being together in practices is many of the players’ favorite parts of being on the volleyball team.
“It’s like fifteen friends that you’re forced to be with for a long time,” Layla Samoska, sophomore volleyball player, said.
Shoffner sees immense value in these relationships and how they affect the game play of volleyball.
“Volleyball for me personally is a sport that’s beautiful. You can’t have just one person doing everything. It’s at least a two person game, but there’s six people on the court at all times,” Shoffner said. “There’s a lot of flow going on and back and forth and movement that has to happen with a full team instead of just an individual sport.”
The players were thrown into their first tournament games with very little time to prepare, and this manifested in their playing quality.
“We could have done a lot better,” Cole said. “It just got in our heads. Once we learn not to get in our heads again, we’re great.”
Their initial bumps and struggles have far from discouraged them though, and they have kept their high hopes for advancing through the UIL stages this year.
“I feel like we could go to state if we all put in the effort and all try and don’t give up,” Lauryn Gonzales, junior volleyball player, said. “If we just keep on doing what we’re doing… we could go to state.”