CHARLOTTESVILLE — Before they concentrate on digs, sets and attacks, the Eastern Hancock volleyball team focused on baking, singing and just hanging out and enjoying each others company.
Prior to its inaugural media day on the school campus Friday, the team spent the night in the school in a team-bonding session that they hope translates into better communication on the court and marks in the win column.
Eastern Hancock is not breaking ground on a new way to get ready for the opening week of practice, which begins Monday. It’s not uncommon for teams to do something similar before the grind of a long season.
However teams want to approach it, working on developing great team chemistry can lead to success on the court or field.
“We stayed up from 9:30 (Thursday night) until 7:30 (Friday) morning,” senior Brooklyn Willis said of the team’s lock-in. “It’s been really fun and getting to know each other, especially the freshmen. None of us really knew them coming in. We’ve been able to learn about their personalities.”
It’s an important aspect according to veteran head coach Cory Rainbolt.
“The camaraderie, it’s a fun group,” Rainbolt said. “They’ve bonded as a team. On and off the court, they hang out together. I think that’s going to help us in those games that may be a little tighter. We’re going to be able to fall back on that friendship that they have started together.
“Our first two weeks of the season we have about 14 matches. If you don’t like each other at that point, you’re going to struggle, especially those first two weeks when we have so many matches. I think, for us, it’s going to make us stronger as a team. You may get frustrated on a team that’s not familiar with each other and have a lot of different personalities. We can say we’re beyond that team. We have love and compassion for each other and I think that’s going to carry us a long way.”
The players agree with the coach. Good chemistry off the court will lead to good chemistry on it.
“I think team bonding is really important,” Carlyn Blue, a senior setter, added. “Teams work better together when you know each other well, when you spend a lot of time together. The game is skill, but it’s also teamwork so you have to know your teammates.”
Senior Sarah Clark, another setter, believes the team activities away from the court aren’t just important, but possibly the most important thing when a team is getting ready for a long season. The Royals played 31 matches last year from mid-August to mid-October.
“It’s the most important thing we can do (to get ready) for the court,” Clark said. “Volleyball is not an individual game. It’s all together and our chemistry has to be together. This year, we’re strong in that component. We’re all super close so on the court after a bad point we can talk it out just like we do any other problem.”
Last week’s lock-in included a team tradition of making tie-dye shirts, and a baking competition that was first implemented last season. The played hide-and-seek, ate a lot of snacks and even did some karaoke/lip-syncing.
“It’s huge,” All-Hancock County junior middle hitter Ellie Meyer said of the importance of knowing your teammates. “The ability to trust your teammates and know they’re there for you and have your back, whether you’re having a bad game or messing up or when you’re having a good game, is huge.”
So who’s the best singer?
Initially hesitating to answer, then with a laugh, Meyer said, “Not good, a lot of lip-syncing.”
They all believe that better relationships with teammates will lead to wins, but even if it doesn’t, Rainbolt believes hanging out and enjoying each other will pay dividends well beyond the high school volleyball season.
”High school sports are a lot about making memories,” the coach said. “It’s about wins and losses, too, but ultimately, I may have only one or two girls that want to play in college. I really want to focus on making memories that are going to last a lifetime. The friendships they’ve created, I truly think that they will still be friends 30 years from now. For me, that’s success.”
