Girls Volleyball

As the girls volleyball season begins, the varsity team has hopes of winning a state championship, and redeeming themselves from last year’s near miss of Sub-State champions. While it was definitely heartbreaking, head coach Molly Haggerty said, the experience has led the team to make some changes for the new year. 

“We’re really driving home the message of not being afraid to fail. I think that has kind of been our Achilles’ heel in the last several years,” Haggerty said. 

To implement this new idea, the program has set a goal of “no regrets,” which, to Haggerty’s explanation, means that each member of the team should feel like they gave everything they possibly could towards the team’s success. Additionally, the off-season workouts included activities to help the players focus on meditation and visualization. 

“We took a course this summer with a sports psychiatrist. It was really great for our girls, they really enjoyed listening to him and to different testimonials of athletes,” Haggerty said. 

The summer workouts also allowed the players to build stronger friendships, according to senior Avery Ahlers, which the team is planning to utilize this year. 

“I feel like this season, because we are all close and best friends, is gonna be really good,” Ahlers said.

As Haggerty has watched this team practice together, she said she has been impressed with the player’s high expectations for themselves and one another.  

“What I’ve noticed about this group is that they are all business,” Haggerty said. “These are very Type A, ‘want to do the absolute best,’ ‘not afraid to work hard,’ student-athletes and young women.”

 Haggerty urges the student body to come and support girls volleyball, starting with the team’s first game of the season, Saturday, Aug. 27, against Shawnee Mission East at St. James Academy.

“Volleyball, like many sports, is a sport of energy and momentum. The students and athletes feed off each other,” Haggerty said. “That’s what is really cool about getting to play for your school, the sense of community.”

In similar thoughts, Ahlers encourages the Northwest community to get excited for the new season. 

“This team is really special, and this year is really gonna make a difference,” Ahlers said. “We’re going to be coming home with a lot of trophies this year, and hopefully a plaque.”