Page 180 - 1996.Milard.North

A new team strived to reach
-

I a hi Zevel o com Plays die

ISin 0 p out exactly
always w
the team t
practic
them; m;
by Mary Peterson times they I
to improvi
Senior Mar
The traditional were inspirational, but the team, and an excellent de- - Ohlsen he
sophom
Sophomore
beating of hands and feet on team soon found out it would fensive player in Mariah Melissa setter Meli:
Belgum
the gym floor and cheering take more than"winnies" to Ohlsen," coach Deb Belgum waits setting a I
for the ball to
echoed through the building produce a successful team. Grafentin said. clear the net that didn't qt
as the varsity volleyball team "We had to learn to trust the "Our weakness after a serve make it to
so she can
net. Juni
dropped to rest of the team to get the job was our inexperience in a transition and Tanya Ol
and Et
"We were slow off the start, the floor on done; we had to prove our- high level of competitive- prepare to set Glaser as.
the ball up for
its stom- selves to our teammates to ness. We used pressure drills an attack. by cover
but we began to acquire the achs, face- earn their trust," junior which focused on aggres- photo by the ball. ph
to-face in a Michiye Sakota said. siveness and consistency," Jonathan by Stepha
Rc
U/anday
characteristics of a very circle to The key to coop- Grafentin said.
pump each eration involved not only Among its
good volleyball team." other up be- trust, but a constant desire strengths, blocking the ball
fore- the for improvement. "You was an advantage often
game. have to set goals for your- taken to boost the team' s
But, uniting the self; if you don't have a goal, spirits. "If we could block a
team could be done in more you won't achieve any- good hitter, everyone got
ways than one. "We braided thing," sophomore Katie pumped up," junior Lisa
our hair in 'winnies' which Johnson said. Wheeler said.
are two french braids on ei- By setting goals, Although the sea-
ther side of our head. It was the team tried to enhance son had its ups and downs,
Mariah's idea for good luck ski lis they did well and prac- the team pulled together at
because her River City vol- ticed their weaknesses. "We the end. "We were slow off
leyball team won the na- worked on things we did the start, but we began to
tional champonships wear- better than average and acquire the characteristics
ing them," senior Stacy made them into strengths. of a very good volleyball
Blatney said. We had a lot of height for team by the end of the sea-
The "winnies" blocking, a solid serving son," Grafentin said .•

Defense
played an
important role
in winning a
volleyball
match. Junior
Kristin Kelley
keeps the ball
under perfect
control as she
passes it to the
setter to set it
up and attempt
a kill. photo by
Stephanie
Rowe

- Coach Deb Grafentin gives her team tips for their next strategy
to capitalize on the team's strengths, overcome the obstacles set in place
by the opposing team, and win the game. photo by Jonathan Ulanday

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