More Than A Team: Hastings High Volleyball Team Heads in a New Direction

It is 3:45 PM on a weekday afternoon. Inside Hastings Senior High’s main gym, sneakers squeak against hardwood floors, and volleyballs fill the air. Even when exhausted from a full day of classes, the girls stay positive and crack jokes with each other.

This is an average day for a volleyball player at Hastings High School.

After losing a large class of seniors last year, new and returning players are bringing a fresh sense of energy this season with new and old traditions.

“The atmosphere of the team has definitely changed a lot since last year. This time around, we only have three seniors,” said Sophomore Alivia Lind.

With new players this season, returning players have taken on a bigger role in creating an environment where everyone can feel comfortable.

“We have a small group of seniors who have stepped into leadership roles. It has been fun watching them become more vocal leaders for the team,” said Coach Mandy Watt.

The team has continued building those connections throughout the early season through smaller group activities.

“We had a couple of bonding activities during the summer that I think really helped everyone get used to each other,” said Junior Lyla Adam.

One way the group has been expanding relationships is with family group time.

“We have family groups, where the older girls and groups of freshmen split off and have time to discuss and do group activities,” said Lind.

With the number of new players who joined the team, these small groups are crucial for building team chemistry, even when it is challenging to find time to.

“I think family groups are a great way for the team to connect; the team is just really big, so it can be hard sometimes to find time for everyone to communicate with each other,” said Junior Kylie Ansbach.

While not always easy, the team tries to stay motivated and buoyant during the season.

“There are definitely days where it’s harder to show up to practice, especially towards the end of the school week,” said Ansbach.

For some players, the challenge goes beyond simply showing up to practice; it is about pushing through whatever they may be dealing with that day.

“Getting through things when you’re having a rough day is probably the hardest part of practice,” said Adam.

When a player struggles, the effects can extend beyond the individual and impact the team as a whole.

“When one person goes down, the whole team goes down,” said Adam.

Support often comes through encouragement from other teammates.

“Cheering is definitely one of the main motivators during practice,” said Lind.

Beyond encouragement, the team also relies on traditions to bring everyone together before a game.

“We have this tradition where we go into the locker room before a home game and play music while dancing in a circle to hype us up,” said Adam.

Along with loud locker room energy, the team has to focus on their game plan.

“The girls have been working on goal setting. They write team and individual goals before each game. They are learning how the small goals naturally lead us to the bigger goals,” said Watt.

Whether on the court or in the locker room, the girls are grateful for the time they shared in the program.

“The friendships on the team, you won’t find anything like it,” said Lind.

Outside of volleyball, Watt hopes the girls will take something away from the experience they have all shared together.

“I hope they will remember being a part of a team that worked to improve team culture, who embraced all the opportunities provided to get better in the off-season, and remember that no matter the outcome, they have no regrets,” said Watt.