The volleyball team fought their way to the Bi-District playoffs with former state champion Shay Douglas who is now coaching the team 20 years after she won state.
Just like when she was in high school, Douglas trains the team with the same style she was taught but focuses more on the aspects of speed and strength mainly due to teenagers’ increased biological abilities.
“Now girls are taller, hit harder and are bigger and quicker,” Douglas said.
To get to this spot in the season, the team has been playing since July 31 various games a week, training three times a week in the court, weight training, and doing yoga as a form of recovery. The team practices before, during, and after school for 90 minutes in order to improve their skill sets.
“We’re constantly improving every week,” Douglas said. We work a lot on ball control. At this point in the season, it’s just fine tuning the little things.”
Within the team, there are two players that have been working hard throughout the season. Even if they don’t get as much playing time, they still show up whenever they’re called in. Those players are Allegra Foreman, playing offensively for the team, and Reagan Monk playing defensively. The team as a whole is composed of skilled and experienced players that get the work done.
“We actually have a lot of tools,” Douglas said. Most of these girls are very versatile, so they can play multiple positions if needed.”
All the arduous practices and hard work the team has been putting in for months proved to be fruitful when the team took the victory against Graham on Oct. 24 for District Champions. Now, the team is focusing on winning the game against Snyder on Mon. Oct. 30 taking place at Clyde High School in order to pass to Area rounds.
“As a coach, my goal every year is to give my players the experience that I had of playing in the state tournament,” Douglas said. “I couldn’t be prouder of my girls.”
