The Greendale girls varsity volleyball team is almost half way through the season, and they are continuing to work hard at practice, games, and tournaments. There are 10 returning varsity players on the team that all bring along experience and understanding of what it means to be a varsity athlete. They currently hold a record of 2-4.
“We’ve definitely had our ups and down this season and as always the Woodland West matchups are tough opponents and it can be anyone’s game,” coach Kelly Schmidt said. “We have been improving both individually and as a team. I see us becoming even more competitive as the season progresses to prepare us for the first round of playoffs.”
As they progress into the season, and closer to the playoffs they are faced with more adversity and tough competition. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Greendale had their match against one of the toughest teams in the conference, Pewaukee. Greendale took the first set from Pewaukee, and continued to fight hard throughout the game, but after four long sets Pewaukee took the win.
“Our biggest challenge and competition in the conference would definitely be Pewaukee. We had a good chance of competing well with them because the team is pretty strong this year,“ sophomore Maddie Plozsay said. “I know it will be a great game!”
One of the highlights of the season has been when senior captain Billie Reiter, after 4 years as a varsity player, she accomplished 1,500 assists in her high school career. Another varsity player, Kendall Coggins makes a huge accomplishment of 500 digs on her 3 years on varsity.
“Meeting this milestone in my volleyball career felt really nice, and seeing my team be there for me to cheer me on made it so much better. They are such great supports of me and my accomplishments,” Reiter said.
As the physical aspect is a huge part of winning and playing a volleyball game, coaches and captains are teaching the players how to baltov ance the mental aspect of volleyball as well. They take time during practices to develop drills that will help them against their upcoming opponent.
Recently, coach Schmidt introduced the PerformanceMindset app, which focuses on mindset and the importance of visualization during a match.
“I think that the app has definitely been beneficial to helping my mindset be clear before an intense game and focus in on my skills,” senior Tess Zaja said.
With the team’s new philosophies and mindset training they have developed a cohesive unit that is well prepared to face any challenges on and off the court. All of this work outside of volleyball is going to lead to improved performance, confidence, and a greater chance of success in their upcoming matches.
