Staff writer
It was a celebration of spicy casseroles and sweet desserts; it was one of the few times the Marion volleyball team has been together off the hardwood.
The 16-7 Warriors have had many of their team-building events cut short by a hectic season schedule. On Sept. 23, the team had a simple dinner in the concourse of the gym after practice. The seniors prepared the main course, the juniors the desserts, and the freshmen and sophomores brought chips and vegetables.
While get-togethers like this seem unimportant, the consensus among Marion players Kayley Heerey, Whitney Gordon and Lindsay Hett is that volleyball requires a high level of communication among the six players on the court. The players need to be comfortable with one another to ensure that they are all playing in the right spot and working cohesively.
Head coach Jim Versch said that off-the-court events are sometimes more important than practices. He usually tries to have the team eat meals together and even do scavenger hunts around town.
The bonds that are formed off the court often show up in the encouragement that players pass along to one another in huddles after plays. Sophomore hitter Whitney Gordon said that whenever a girl on the team is down, the whole group tries to raise her spirits.
“One (of us) will say one encouraging thing and then we all say it,” she said. “It’s just a blur.”
Coaches and parents have noticed that the team is playing inspired volleyball mainly because the team is playing so well together. Assistant coach Pattie Putter said that each week the team has gotten stronger and closer.
Lori Heerey, who is the mother of senior Kayley Heerey, admires the way the team has come together.
“This senior class, a few have been playing varsity since they have been freshmen,” she said. “When my daughter was a freshman, I don’t think they won one match (they were 1-27); this has been the first year they’ve really gelled.”