Varsity:

The most experienced volleyball team at OHS is skimming through a successful year. With a team of 17, they are on the rise and are constantly working on bettering themselves for upcoming games and tournaments.  

Unity drives the team to reach their goal; the OHS varsity team is focusing on portraying a united front to achieve their goals regarding the state championships. 

“Our motto this year is ‘with each other, for each other,’ and I think that’s kind of really representative of what we are trying to accomplish. If we are going to win a state championship we are going to need every single person regardless of your role in volleyball,” said Maisie Jesse, senior. 

The varsity team is the most diverse team amongst the three. From freshmen to seniors, they have them all. This requires them to really connect with one another. 

“We are mainly just working on chemistry. Really building all our different age groups. We have freshmen and seniors,” said Piper Rama, junior. 

Even though the varsity team has experience and are doing really well so far this season, there are still factors they need to work on. There is always room for improvement, and practice is only making them better for each game. 

“We have been working a lot on serve, receive, and passing because that’s how you start every play when you pass,” Rama said. “I would say the offense is also getting a little better as we practice.”

Managing a team with a lot of members can be hard. A normal team has 11 players; however, the varsity team has 17. This calls for a lot of sacrifices and compromises within the team itself.

“Having a big team, we’re kind of learning to balance. [During] practice there’s only twelve on the court at a time so kind of balancing that selflessness. We have always been really good at being selfless, I think the program does a good job at that..” Jesse said “Really being supportive of the girl that gets the starting role in your position and really working on creating a positive culture,” 

The team is having a good season so far and have been able to show their skills in a proficient manner. Despite playing weaker teams, they are excelling and playing to their highest level. 

“We did a good job of showcasing what we have worked on and being able to put it into game plays is typically difficult but I feel we settled in very well,” Jesse said.

The team is optimistic towards this season and they wish to remain victorious all throughout the year. . 

“I think we can always improve on something. But I think we are going pretty strong right now.” said Devyn Wiest, sophomore. “I am excited for this year,” 

JV:

Having each other’s back is what brings a team closer to success. It is the assurity that the whole team will be there for each other that makes them more comfortable and motivated. 

“There are 15 girls [on] our team so playing time becomes a problem [and we still] support each other through it,” said Bailey Reed, sophomore. “We make sure we stay as a team. No matter what is going on in the game, we are playing together and being there for each other.” 

The JV team is working really hard for their games. They are improving on their skill sets while also improving on team bonding. 

“We have been practicing working a lot on our rotations and getting to know each other better since we are a new team,” said Abigail Bryand, freshman.

No matter what, it is important to brush up on the basics of the game. The team is also working on strengthening their skills.

“We work a lot on serve receive because it is the main part of the game. If you don’t have a serve receive, you can’t play,” Reed said.

The team has a lot of expectations for the season, which  is why they have been working on strategies to get better. 

“We are working on a lot of defense right now, and we are just working on trying to convert that into points,” Bryand said.

Freshmen: 

The newbies to volleyball are the Freshmen team. Though they have only joined recently, they have set some really important goals for themselves this season and are working diligently towards them. 

“We want to go undefeated or not lose more than three games, so we are trying to focus on that,” said Jenna Gaines, freshman. 

This team started out of strangers with no past affiliations whatsoever. Over the course of the season, they are taking their time to build relationships with each other. 

“My team is pretty good, working well together,” said Faith Connell, freshman. “I feel like we bond really well together and we connect well together.” 

The team is a little inexperienced in terms of how many games they have already played. This is why they have been struggling over team dynamics during the games. 

“Sometimes we might get a little bit nervous during the game and get flustered with each other,” Connell said. “Sometimes during passing we might have a little bit of a hiccup and then we’ll keep rolling with the hiccup.” 

They are practicing really hard to make themselves better and work on their dexterity. 

“We are struggling with passing and serving, so we are mainly focusing on that,” Gaines said.

The new team has hit a snag because of the increasing rate of sickness going around, which has really impacted the team’s practice.

“Lot’s of girls are getting sick right now so they are missing practice. But I think most of them are getting better,” Gaines said. 

They have set future expectations for themselves that will motivate all of them to work and play well together. 

“I hope that we can all make the JV team together,” Connell said.