The volleyball team hopes to rebound from weeks of quarantine and cancellations to finish their 2020 fall season. Each volleyball player is struggling to play as there are so many restrictions. 

   Some restrictions include taking temperatures before they get on the bus, face masks have become a part of the uniform, they don’t switch sides, there’s no coin flip and they aren’t allowed to do post-game handshakes. These are just some of the main examples that have affected the team directly.

   The volleyball team was forced to a stop and the girls had to stay home and quarantine towards the beginning of their season. The JV team needed to quarantine before varsity on Nov. 17 because they were exposed at a jv tournament on Nov.12. Varsity was soon quarantined shortly after on November 18. Both needed to be quarantined for two weeks before stepping back on the court.

  “Quarantine is very hard to think about because I am a senior and would really enjoy having my last couple games with my volleyball friends and it would break my heart to end so soon,” senior setter Brooke Spry said. 

   With taking two weeks off the court the team has had many cancelations. These cancelations include the Skyline, Smithton, El Dorado Springs and Butler games. Before the weeks of cancellations, the team was standing with a record of 1-5. The two weeks gave the team time to reflect and think about how they might be able to improve.

 “This year our team has improved in many ways. The freshmen are rocking their positions, they are also great examples on how you are supposed to act on the court and off the court. I feel as a team we have improved tremendously just in the skills level for volleyball,” sophomore setter and middle hitter Ellie Murrell said.

 Charlotte Beck is the Wildcat volleyball head coach and has been just as affected by this virus as the girls, but she’s hoping to just get back to a normal season. 

   “I’ve stressed to the girls the importance of playing every game like it’s the last because with the virus we’re not guaranteed anything.” Beck says.

   Beck said much of her focus this season is on the mental game and wellbeing of players.

   “There are always going to be technical aspects of the game that we need to improve on, but with so much chaos in our lives right now it’s the mental stuff that will really make a difference.   We need to be able to set aside the outside pressures and focus on playing hard and having fun,” Beck said.

    The girls have come back now and many have different goals for their own personal game-play and for their team in hopes of increasing their wins. 

   “I think we as a team have great game play, but our biggest flaw is executing, we have long eventful rallys, but it’s the simple mistakes that are so detrimental to the overall game,” senior backrow player Rheanna Coke said. 

   In most recent games, since the team has gotten back from their two week quarantine, the team has played Stover, Smithcotton, and Buffalo falling short each game. With the overall record of the season currently sitting at 1-9, the team is finding small, but important goals for the game to improve on.

   “My goal is, by the time I leave high school is to make teamship a huge priority. I feel as a volleyball team we need more encouragement, and confidence in one another,” Murrell said.

   “I hope we can continue communicating and working as a team,” sophomore outside hitter Gracie Comer said, “I want to be someone that younger kids know they can come to when needing help and look up to me.”