Volleyball: The Greatest Serve

The last match for Selma High’s Varsity Volleyball team took place on October 19. The game took place at Reedley High School. It resulted in Selma’s volleyball team losing 3-0 against Reedley High. The overall season record consisted of eight wins and fourteen losses.
Throughout the season, the varsity volleyball team faced a lot of challenges. The workouts for the volleyball season began at the end of summer vacation. However, the tryouts, which are usually held during the first or second week of the school year, were only a week before their first scrimmage. This made it harder for the team to prepare as well as for past seasons. An additional challenge is having a clear schedule.
“One obstacle was that most of us play different sport[s] so it was hard for everyone to be at practice at the same time,” stated junior Marina Hernandez.
Some things cannot be prevented, so the volleyball players decided to control what can be commanded. Communication is something that junior Jayde Caldera considers essential out in the court.
“Communication greatly affects the team as a whole,” Caldera addressed. “Volleyball is a very vocal sport and we are constantly needing to communicate with one another in order to be successful. Without communication there could be no connection within the team. Without both of those things the team could have a lot of trouble. It is important in volleyball to do your part in communicating with your team because it only takes one person to help and encourage the rest of the team.”
Caldera emphasizes the importance of relaying their thoughts and energy in order to be victorious.
Coach Caylin also believes that in order for the team to thrive they must be consistent. Consistency is not only shown on the court.
“I think the most essential thing in order to have a successful season is consistency. That means consistently showing up to practice everyday, constantly showing hard work, and being dedicated,” Coach Caylin commented.
Although the team did everything in their power to succeed at every match, sometimes there were losses. Most people wonder what has to be done in order to do well, but not many wonder how to handle the downs of a match. Coach Caylin approaches this situation by focusing on what went wrong.
“Handling the losses comes with thinking about what could be improved,” Coach Caylin stated. “I handle the losses during the season by seeing what needs to be worked on, and focusing on those things at practices in preparation for the next game in order to make us better. Losses are never fun, but they do show there is always room for improvement.”
Applying all these techniques out in the court made them more powerful as a team. They came closer together and made a lot of fun memories.
“We grew together as the games and practices continued,” Marina Hernandez said. “A lot of us had played together before, it was fun to be able to play with our friends. Even those who hadn’t [played with us before] still connected well with the team.”
For senior Mariana Quezada, the memories created during this volleyball season were especially significant.
“Some of my favorite memories made during the season would definitely be my senior night,” Quezada recalled. “Many of my friends and family came out to support me. As well as my teammates and coaches who have always been there for me since day one. Another memory would also be all the games we had this season. Together, we all put the best performance on the court and showed what it takes to be a great team.”
With an end to this year’s volleyball season, team players walk away with memories in the company of good friends.