From Aug. 12-14, Millard West held tryouts for the upcoming volleyball season. Players of all grades showed up to play, eager to fill spots on teams, including freshman, reserve, JV and varsity. Coaches are looking to create successful teams for the 2024 season.
Leading up to tryouts, players went to conditioning, which took place three mornings a week from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. over the summer. Players get the chance to meet new people and work to be stronger for the season. Students prepared with training exercises, including, mindset, weights and open gyms. With new freshmen and seniors, there are new opportunities for great teams, and head volleyball Coach Joe Wessel is excited to see what this season holds for them.
“Seeing the growth of our players from the beginning of the summer stemming into the battle of making the team,” Wessel said. “They truly work hard to represent and wear MW on their chest.”
Every year, the coaches look forward to meeting new players and watching them as they make progress throughout the tryouts. It’s not just about being superior at volleyball, but having sportsmanship, being kind and respectful to others, and showing you can be a leader. All of these qualities contribute to making a good team member to the coaches.
“I can contribute to making a good team by helping people who are down to get back up,” sophomore Kailynn Carlstedt said. “I am really good at cheering people on, and I think I am a really good leader on the court.”
Tryouts can be nerve-racking for all players, and with a three-day process, coaches are serious about spots on their teams. To succeed throughout the season, players must create strong bonds and work hard to play the best they can on the court. Incoming freshmen have the biggest change in experiencing what it’s like to play with older girls and more competitive teams.
“In middle school, they were not as strict about volleyball tryouts and most people were just there for fun,” freshman Brady Spangler said. “But for high school tryouts, they are more strict and show that they are not playing around.”
With the upcoming season, players are preparing and excited to play their hardest on the court this year. After tryouts ended on Aug. 14, players found out their teams that night, and began practices after school until 6:00. Coaches are looking forward to watching the players grow and seeing how they improve from tryouts to their first game. You can watch them play their first game on, Thursday, August 29th at 4:30.
