Starting preseason off with an intensive schedule, the varsity volleyball team develops as younger talent joins and experienced seniors leave. The team left for Pflugerville from Aug. 17-19 to get back in business coming from off-season. Head coach Amanda Shingleton works to adapt to a new team and district.
“We’re just kind of taking a lot of information in and looking at our deficits and what we need to work on,” Coach Shingleton said. “It’s hard when we play for three days straight and there’s not a lot of time to correct.”
The team played more than they’ve practiced in the past few weeks. With less time to practice, the team struggles to make adjustments and work on deficiencies.
“Our goal [for the season] is always the same,” Coach Shingleton said. “It’s always to get into the playoffs and have an opportunity to make a postseason run.”
After the district realignment, the team faces new competition along with the challenges of building a bond with new players. Despite the changes, Coach Shingleton acts as a foundation for the team and contributes to the development of the team’s chemistry.
“That’s part of the reason we do these over overnight tournaments,” Coach Shingleton said. “Because it just gets us all together in the same place. They kind of get to know each other better, and break down those walls of just personality and get intertwined with our new team as it’s changed from the previous year.”
With four freshmen on the team this year, Coach Shingleton finds where they’d fit in given the unknowns of their playstyles and personalities. However, having younger talent may play out to be beneficial in the coming years.
“I remember being a freshman on varsity and being very scared,” senior Katie Brothers said. “So it helps when everyone is cheering you on through the good and bad.”
Brothers received her captain position from her ability to provide the team structure and leadership from her years of playing. She looks to lead the team to a playoff run and help Coach Shingleton work out the kinks early on in the season. By experiencing the pressure her younger teammates have first-hand, she supports her teammates by doing exactly what helped her when she experienced their situation.
“I think at this stage of the game, everything we’re doing in preseason is about what we can clean up on our side with comparable or better competition,” Coach Shingleton said. “Overall, [the team has] been really enjoyable to be around.”
