Varsity peaces out in pink out

By Angelica Fields

Editor-in-Chief

Oct. 17th was the last home game for the girl’s volleyball team, It was also the Pink Out game/senior night. The team won against Rich Central. The girls lost their first match 25 - 15, but the Warriors came back and won both the second and third sets.

“It was bittersweet, getting announced in front of my friends, but also is sad,” said Kyra “Keezy” Harper.

Before the game started, they announced the seniors and presented them with a rose and a sash.

“I felt very anxious and sad because it’s my last year here,” said Amber “Po Go-Go” Coluzzi.

Being a senior on the team makes one think about that moment being the last game of your high school career.

“It was cool because we were projected to lose and it was a good birthday present,” Harper said.

Everyone was expecting the Warriors to lose against Rich Central because of the last game they lost against them. But the varsity girls proved everyone wrong.

Most of the varsity players have been playing for at least six years, maybe more. They even have a good support team, that contains friends and family. Even people who they may not know can be a good support for them.

“My parents are my number one supporter during my volleyball career,” Coluzzi said.

It is important to have someone to support in their athletic career and daily lives.

“My mom encourages me and knows when I’m upset or something is upsetting me by looking at me,” said Harper.

It is a reassuring feeling to have someone that is positive in their corner, someone close who can tell when they are upset by the way they look and act.

Volleyball is a lifestyle to these two females. It affects their lives, even if they do not know if they are going to continue playing the sport going into college.

“It’s time consuming, with practice, long tournaments, and the long drives to different schools for the tournaments,” Harper said.

But there are different opinions on volleyball affecting their school lives. There are both positive and negative responses to the subject.

“No, volleyball doesn’t affect my school life. It’s either stay on top of your work or don’t play,” Coluzzi said.

Having this mindset is what gets players motivated to play well and play smart, to be on top of their game and be able to play on the court.

In volleyball, there are many positions and players that have transitioned into different positions they had never played before.

“I play middle, which is a position I never played before and is new to me,” Coluzzi said.

Learning a new position is hard and challenging, especially if you do not know how to play that position.

“I play outside hitter as a permanent spot, but played libero last year,” Harper said. Positions like those came natural to her.

The sport itself is a sisterhood, whether students make the team or not. During off-season activities like conditioning, open gym and camp over the summer, working together makes a team like a family.

“Of course we’re all so close to each other and have sister bonding,” Coluzzi said.

They have to have a bond in order to win and trust each other to play their roles.

But playing volleyball in college is a whole different level and different skill set. It’s the same sport, but different coaches and different techniques that will be taught.

“I’m still thinking about playing volleyball in college,” said Harper said.

Most varsity players still do not know what to do going into college sports-wise.

“It’s still a decision to think about,” Coluzzi said.

Most girls just love playing the sport during high school. Many do not want to continue to do so in college, but may do it at an intramural level for fun.

Students can play volleyball in different formats like school season, club volleyball, and open gym volleyball, all of which can be fun and competitive at the same time.