Building experience
There is no substitute for experience.
Valley Christian volleyball coach Carmen DeVries has two players on her varsity roster, senior Kelsi Jo Apedaile and junior Ashley Miles, who have never played varsity volleyball, leaving the rest of her roster green, but enthusiastic.
“It gets a little frustrating,” DeVries admitted. “I have some freshmen who will go out and have a great game and then, the next day, it’s like ‘hey — where’d you go?
“I have some players for whom this is only their second year of playing volleyball, period. They’ve made some huge strides.”
Even an experienced player is learning to play a new position.
“Last year I had Kelsi play in the back row and then I would sub her out and put in someone a little bit taller to play the front,” DeVries said. “Looking at the numbers I have this year, I realized I couldn’t pull her out. She’s now one of my outside hitters when she comes to the front row and she’s done a good job. She’s got a good swing on the ball. She’s never played a hitter before, so it’s still new to her. She still sets when she’s in the back row.”
Miles is the lone constant back from a year ago.
“Ashley Miles, my middle hitter, has just come a long ways from last year,” the coach said. “She played a lot of varsity, but she’s really stepped it up.
The Panthers have two setters rotating, creating what the coach calls “a funky rotation,” but the team is learning to adjust.
The team has been uneven in its first two outings. The Panthers pushed St. George’s to five games but struggled on the road against Republic.
“I was very impressed with them against St. George’s,” DeVries said. “They played with a lot of heart and with a lot of hustle. Against Republic we just didn’t come out fired-up and ready to play. The first game we played them pretty close and then we just broke down. We’re making strides, but we still have a ways to go.
“I’m very impressed with what they’re doing, but they can get down on themselves very easily.”
The young players have shown an infectious enthusiasm and a willingness to do whatever the coach asks.
“My other middle hitter, Whitney Wolf, was setting last year. This year she wanted to play on the outside, but I had to tell her that I needed her in the middle. She has a great attitude. She just said, ‘Sure coach, wherever you need me to play, I’ll play.’ I just love her attitude.”
The team will get some much-needed experience this weekend at a tournament in Rosalia.