by Alia Snyder
Only four losses.
It seems that Germantown High’s varsity volleyball team is taking a turn for the best this season. With a better team lineup than previous years, varsity coach Barbara Whitaker says that the players this year seem to have more experience and even more talent. The team especially has a higher hope for state this year at the rate they are going.
“Definitely going to state. All we have left is to beat Houston High. Then we’ll do good in district and go to state,” senior Heather Jackson said.
The girls played Houston High this past Tuesday on their home court and it seemed to be a bigger challenge than expected. Even with a large student crowd to cheer them on, Houston still came out on top.
“Many players got nervous and we had a light practice the day before. We had a kind of off day, but we’ll beat them when we play them again in two weeks,” sophomore Kate Griffin said.
Other players seem to agree about the team’s focus level in the game against Houston.
“I think we had the ability to beat them. We weren’t mentally prepared though. We just needed to believe we could win,” said sophomore Kali Haire.
Even with the Houston loss, the girls have not let it discourage them. The game turned out to motivate them work harder to be sure to beat Houston in the next game. This year’s seniors surely feel it their duty to play their hardest and push the rest of the team to do so as well.
“This year we’re playing harder and more as a team. I feel I need to set an example especially being the team captain,” Jackson added.
Caitlin Triplett, another senior, agrees with Jackson.
“We’re so good, and I want to go to state. I feel I need to encourage them because it’s based more on encouragement than on individual players,” Triplett said.
Although Whitaker said that all her girls have to be great in order to win, she has set Jackson and Triplett as her two top players this year. Both girls play middle in separate rotations. Jackson is said to lead in kills and Triplett to lead in kills and blocks. These two seem to be vital to the team.
“If you don’t have a good middle, the other team could kill you if they have the same amount of middle players,” Whitaker said.
The Commercial Appeal recognized the Germantown volleyball team and their outstanding season this year versus prior years saying this is the area’s most improved team of 2013, which has motivated the team to continue to do their best and work even harder to be better.
“The hope for state is within the kids and their desire to play,” Whitaker said.
Only four losses.
It seems that Germantown High’s varsity volleyball team is taking a turn for the best this season. With a better team lineup than previous years, varsity coach Barbara Whitaker says that the players this year seem to have more experience and even more talent. The team especially has a higher hope for state this year at the rate they are going.
“Definitely going to state. All we have left is to beat Houston High. Then we’ll do good in district and go to state,” senior Heather Jackson said.
The girls played Houston High this past Tuesday on their home court and it seemed to be a bigger challenge than expected. Even with a large student crowd to cheer them on, Houston still came out on top.
“Many players got nervous and we had a light practice the day before. We had a kind of off day, but we’ll beat them when we play them again in two weeks,” sophomore Kate Griffin said.
Other players seem to agree about the team’s focus level in the game against Houston.
“I think we had the ability to beat them. We weren’t mentally prepared though. We just needed to believe we could win,” said sophomore Kali Haire.
Even with the Houston loss, the girls have not let it discourage them. The game turned out to motivate them work harder to be sure to beat Houston in the next game. This year’s seniors surely feel it their duty to play their hardest and push the rest of the team to do so as well.
“This year we’re playing harder and more as a team. I feel I need to set an example especially being the team captain,” Jackson added.
Caitlin Triplett, another senior, agrees with Jackson.
“We’re so good, and I want to go to state. I feel I need to encourage them because it’s based more on encouragement than on individual players,” Triplett said.
Although Whitaker said that all her girls have to be great in order to win, she has set Jackson and Triplett as her two top players this year. Both girls play middle in separate rotations. Jackson is said to lead in kills and Triplett to lead in kills and blocks. These two seem to be vital to the team.
“If you don’t have a good middle, the other team could kill you if they have the same amount of middle players,” Whitaker said.
The Commercial Appeal recognized the Germantown volleyball team and their outstanding season this year versus prior years saying this is the area’s most improved team of 2013, which has motivated the team to continue to do their best and work even harder to be better.
“The hope for state is within the kids and their desire to play,” Whitaker said.