Teammates to Opponents: Volleyball Players Discuss Transition
©The Talon News | Caleb Miles
Top row left to right: JV Coach Kevin Cook, So. Danielle Davis, Jr. Jacie Hecker, Fr. Coach Lance Sutton, So. Sophie Betzhold, So. Marley Straubmueller, Sr. Melanie Carlisle, Jr. Allison White, Sr. Alexa Bass, Jr. Brittany Hamilton, Sr. Eighty Dobbins, Head Coach Clark Oberle, Varsity Assistant Mandi Barnett Bottom row left to right: Sr. Emma Malone, Fr. Paxton McGlinch, Jr. Halee Van Poppel, Sr. Ari Styron, Jr. Maddie Deguire, Sr. Meagan Dealy, Sr. Strealy Sizelove, Fr. Alyssa Wallace, Sr. Manager London Caldwell contributed to the defeat of the Bushland volleyball in the 4A state championship on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX. (Caleb Miles / The Talon News)
January 28, 2016
The lady eagles took a great win this year becoming State Champions. However once the school season is over a new volleyball season starts. That new season is club season. A club volleyball team is a payed for team that is outside of school. There are over 150 different clubs in the north Texas Region and it is one of the most competitive regions in America. Almost everybody on the Varsity volleyball team plays club after the school season ends. However, they are all on separate teams that compete against each other.
Haylee Van Poppel is a player for Texas Image, a team located in Grand Prarie, and competes against teammates Maddie Deguire and Brittany Hamilton who play at TAV. The seniors also play club volleyball and are experiencing the same shift from teammates to opponents.
“It’s so weird to compete against people who I just played an entire season with,” Senior Eighmy Dobbins said. “But on the other hand it can be to our advantage because we know each others weak spots.”
Dobbins and Strealy Sizelove play on the same club team, TAV. They compete against Alexa Bass who plays at Instinct, MelanieT Carlisle at One10 Volleyball, and Emma Malone who plays at 900. The transition to competing against each other drives the girls to play even better so that they can beat one other in their club season.
“These girls were so fun to have as teammates, but it’s also fun to play against them,” Senior Strealy Sizelove said. “It makes the competition more fun because you really want to beat the other team especially when a former teammate is on the other side of the net.”
For most of the girls the chance to play their former teammates is a refreshing. It also helps them gain a competitive spirit going into their games.
“I think it’s fun to play against former teammates because it gives you a little fun competitive edge when you are playing them.” Senior Alexa Bass Said. “For some reason when you play people you know it makes you want to beat them even more!”
The girls will compete in club tournaments almost every weekend until April where the final tournament of the club season will be held in Milwaukee.
