The Junior Varsity (JV) volleyball team traveled to Cary High on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The Jaguars lost, but the loss did not affect their spirit.
In volleyball, teams play three sets. In order to win a set, a team needs a two point advantage. A team needs 25 points to win a set. On Wednesday, the JV team did not win any sets, but that did not stop their school spirit.
“I think we’re a little sad that we haven’t won any games, but we work very hard and never get too upset about it. We just move on and try to win the next games by working hard during practice,” said Sydney McCoy, a sophomore on the JV Volleyball team.
Before each game, Athens Drive has a short pregame ritual. The rituals demonstrate their spirit and help them during the game.
“We do this cool clapping trick where we all start clapping and then speed up. My coach counts off ‘1…2…3…’ and on 3 we all stop. It creates a sound that almost echoes through the gym. It’s also really fun to do,” said McCoy.
The entire team is very supportive of each other, even when someone misses the ball or hits the net. However, when someone does get a point, the entire team goes crazy and cheers the player on.
“I didn’t know many of them at first, but as the season went on I got a lot closer to them and now they’re like my sisters,” said McCoy.
McCoy is #18 on the Junior Varsity volleyball team. Many times throughout the volleyball game, McCoy spiked and served the ball causing the Jaguars to gain points. For one instance during the game against Cary, the ball was coming towards the Athens team when suddenly McCoy slams the ball down which the Imps did not see coming.
Coach Jeff is one of the coaches of the JV volleyball team, and a gym teacher here at Athens. The team considers him to be family and say that he has helped them so much over the season.
“I think my coach is amazing. At the beginning of the season I had never been on a volleyball team before. Now that it’s towards the end of the season, I’ve come so far and I’m much better. It’s not just me, all of my teammates have gotten a lot better because of my coach. They’ve done a lot for us and I’m very thankful for them,” said McCoy.
The season ended Tuesday, Oct 18, but the team is still hopeful about the next season. The JV team had their final game at home. Green Hope High’s volleyball team came and defeated the Jaguars with a score of 2 to 0. Many players hope to move up to be on the Varsity Volleyball team for Athens. Next season, the Jaguars hope to bond more and be an undefeated team. The Volleyball season will start again in Fall 2017, and the JV team hopes to move up to Varsity.
McCoy tells me that she will definitely be on the Volleyball team again next year, and she hopes to improve. McCoy says that the team has bonded very much over the season and has become her second family. The girls can heavily relate to one another and always support one another, no matter what.