by Delaeny Stevenson
Though their season has been pushed back several months, the Minarets volleyball program is still finding ways to adapt and move forward together as a team. Coach Karra Zamora explained the new schedule, saying, “Practices start Dec.9. This date is dictated to us by CIF (California Interscholastic Federation).” Zamora also said, “Our tryout dates will be the Dec. 7 and 8, and our first game will be Dec. 29 against YHS (Yosemite High School).” To fund these upcoming events, the volleyball team will be hosting a sponsorship t-shirt fundraiser, according to Zamora.
Currently, the only form of practice for volleyball players is their 7th period Weights and Conditioning. The class is intended for volleyball players to start conditioning and getting in shape before the season. The girls are now able to practice in the Minarets gym, and on Oct. 28, they were allowed into weights and conditioning rooms to further prepare for the season.
Pandemic guidelines have changed many things for volleyball, including their cleanup schedule, the number of people that can be in the gym at any given time, and the constant practice of social distancing. Junior volleyball player Melia Kamalani said, “I just want to be able to hug [my teammates] or give them a high five.” Many of the players made similar comments. For volleyball players, much of the excitement comes from playing in the middle of the court together. Senior player Alice Cummings explained, “It is difficult to keep the excitement between plays when we can’t get close to each other. It takes away from the team really molding together.”
The athletes are excited for the Dec. 9 start date when they can begin full practices together again and start playing games. Kamalani said, “I am so excited for when the season is going to start. I just want to be able to play so badly and get the wins and those hard losses and go through it all with my team.”
To stay up to date with new announcements from the program, fans are encouraged to follow the team on their Instagram @minaretsvolleyball.
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