Who’s going to turn the light on?
That is the volleyball team’s motto as it heads into a new season after graduating the bulk of the team’s leaders in a loaded senior class last year. Head coach Brooke Hopper said the team is looking to seniors and returning varsity players to be the ones to show up and turn on the lights.
So far, so good.
“It really worked itself out this summer,” Hopper said. “The girls stepped up huge, and we’re seeing that right in the beginning of our season.”
One of those leaders, senior Addy Hemphill, said she has taken the motto to heart in the way she shows up to every practice and game.
“Who’s going to get everyone going?” she said. “Like, who’s going to get everyone riled up? Who really wants the win bad enough to get everyone else to want it just as bad as you want it? I’ve been kind of using that as a way to step into my leadership role as a senior, just trying to get everyone as excited as I am for a game or a practice,”
Senior Camron McCormick said she has filled that role by following in the footsteps of the leaders who came before her.
“I really wanted to be a good leader for the younger girls, because I know how scary it can be to go play your first year of varsity in front of a student section,” she said. “So I just wanted to be someone, like an extra person, an extra leader that they can turn to.”
She has enjoyed seeing the young team from her vantage point and said they are full of talent and improving every day. The next test, she said, is to see the team under the pressure of a real game.
Hemphill agreed, saying she was impressed with the team’s level so early in the season.
“At least the seniors, we’ve all been playing together for a long time,” Hemphill said. “But we’ve had some sophomores and juniors really step up and some freshmen step up, which has been really great.”
The team will get its first test Tuesday against De Soto, where Hopper says much is still to be learned about the team. The first thing she’ll be looking for is players’ ability to persevere mentally.
“I always talk about the mental game of volleyball,” Hopper said, “because it is such a game of momentum. So I’m really looking for that failure recovery and being ready for that next ball. I think that’s going to be really huge.”
Those skills are already being developed by the community the team has built. Players are friends on and off the court, which can help them push through challenges during practice and games.
“A lot of us are best friends on and off the court,” McCormick said. “If someone makes a bad pass or a bad play, knowing how to support your teammates and encourage them to keep going after the bad pass or bad hit is, I think, the best part about this team.”
The Cardinals will rely on upperclassmen to keep turning on the light every day. If they do, Hopper says it could be a special year. Aside from Hemphill and McCormick, seniors Malia Dietz, Indigo Pruitt and Adira Ewy will form the leadership core for the team.
“We have a lot of athleticism throughout all three levels,” Hopper said. “So, we’re really excited about that. I think we’re going to, you know, if we do our jobs, and the girls do their jobs, I think that we really have a good opportunity to go pretty far in our season and postseason this year. We have great energy.”
For Hemphill and the rest of the team, they’re ready to turn the light on.
“I’m just looking forward to playing,” Hemphill said. “I think everyone’s looking forward to playing. We’re ready to play.”
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
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