Varisty:

As one of the top performing sports at OHS, the beach volleyball team has sustained their excellence by being able to adapt to many changes. 

The OHS beach volleyball team has had a streak of highly successful seasons. This year was no different as they stayed undefeated the entire season and won Division 1 State Championships, securing their position as the top team in the state. They possess all the characteristics of an effective group: willingness to embrace pressure and being able to hold each other accountable. 

“I think because we lost so many seniors last year, the new combinations for teams are newer to all of us. Finding newer partners has been really fun to just see the chemistry,” said Katie Lambeth, junior. 

When athletes form strong bonds, it can foster greatness. A united team pulls together rather than tear apart, giving way to a healthy culture. 

“I’ve learned that the more I love my team and who I’m playing with, the better I play and the more passion I have, the better my performance is,” said Piper Rama, junior. 

Players are not the only factor when it comes to a team’s success. Quality coaches are a valuable part of the team as well. They go beyond training to inspire and show students their capabilities. 

“I think our coaches have props because she gets everybody really excited about it even in the winter time, ramping up into the season and just wanting to include as many people as we can,” Lambeth said.

As the season carries on, it can be difficult to sustain motivation. A unique mindset, as well as talent and hard work, is required to persevere on tougher days.

“I actually love losing because it is the biggest motivator. If someone destroyed or beat[s] me really badly, I’ll make sure that never happens again,” said Olivia Le Blanc, sophomore.  

JV:

The JV beach volleyball team has put an immense amount of effort into reaching levels of excellence that their varsity counterparts achieve. Each season brings a multitude of newcomers, making it vital to connect not only on the court, but off it, too. 

“The advice I probably apply most is getting to know the girls so it’s more like a family, not just a team,” said Jenna Gaines, freshman. 

As the team develops bonds, they also adjust to their wide variety of abilities. Before high school, many of the players participated in club volleyball, sometimes making it difficult to adapt to the new coaching style and teammates. 

“The range of skill changes because club is usually all the same skill, but in high school it’s all different so it’s nice to get help, help girls out, and teach them new things that they may not know,” Gaines said.

When it comes to reaching the most active part of the season, the girls can begin to learn outside the team. It is essential to hone skills during practice, but there are some lessons you can only acquire on the court. 

“During a game a team may beat us, but we can take aspects from their game and apply it to our own and learn from them. If you learn from someone who’s better than you, then it can make you better in the same levels,” said Addie Eggebrecht, freshman.

During practice it can be easy to fall into the mindset that only promotes physical strength. It is incredibly important for players to work on both physical and mental power, introducing the concept of mind over matter. 

“In games, they tell you to be smart. It doesn’t matter who’s taller or who’s more powerful than you, because if you’re the smarter player, then you’ll win,” Eggebrecht said.

The overall lesson players learn in their formative years is that the way one acts in one aspect of their life blends into others. 

“You need to give 100% and I use that even with school and everything else. I don’t half [do] anything, it’s more you’re all in or nothing,” said Eggebrecht.