I feel like when most think of summer high school workouts, we're thinking of football two-a-days, summer shootout tournaments or cross country runners battling the dog days heat. However, there's another sport -- volleyball -- that takes to it hard during this time, taking advantage of the allowed three-week practice period.
This week, I talked with Buffalo volleyball coach Brian Null and senior Katie Higginbotham about how the Bison are handling the summer as well as expectations and preparations for the upcoming fall season. For my full article in the Daily Mail, click here.
Buffalo missed the State Tournament the past two seasons, but has made the trip to the Civic Center all but three seasons since Class A separated for the postseason in 2002.
“The past two years we’ve gotten beat by the state champion," Higginbotham said. "We have a very stacked region. It’s hard to get out of.”
That region includes 2013 state champ Williamstown, who defeated Buffalo in regional play to end Buffalo's season last year. Other perennial powers in Buffalo's region include Charleston Catholic, Wirt County, Greenbrier West, Gilmer County, Greater Beckley Christian, Doddridge County, Calhoun County and Parkersburg Catholic.
“Generally, our region, the way they’ve realigned it, probably has eight of the top 13 teams in the state year-in-and-year-out," Null said.
To escape the region, teams like Buffalo need talent and dedication. Both can be developed and that starts during the three-week summer practice period.
“We’re trying to use all of the three weeks and we’re looking to maybe get a couple dual scrimmages in with some other teams local," Null said.
Higginbotham said during the summer the Bison practice four to five days a week, and though it's important for the veteran players, the time is predominantly for the players newest to the program.
“Normally our youngest, our summer practices are mainly for the new girls," she said. "We want to get the younger kids in, it really gets them used to what high school sports are about because at Buffalo, we don’t have a middle school program, so they come in as freshmen never having played volleyball before unless they played in like a travel league.”
This year's squad returns solid players though they'll have plenty of work to replace the production and leadership of graduated middle hitter Hannah Toney and four-year starting libero Courtney Persinger, a Class A First Team All-State selection.
"They were great leaders last year and kind of left some big shoes to step into," Higginbotham said. "We have six seniors this year, but two of us, me and another girl, are the only ones who have played all four years, so these new girls are getting a chance to step in and see what they can do to fill in Courtney’s big shoes.”
Higginbotham will undoubtedly be one such player who will be expected to take a commanding role.
“She’s a four-year starter and she’s done a little bit of everything," Null said of Higginbotham, a 5-11 hitter. "She’s a great server. She’s left-handed, which is great, so that gives us a power hitter coming off the right side and most teams don’t have that. She’s our most experienced front receiver and hitter coming.”
Sophomores Shelby Turley and Rachel Martin will also assume key positions for the Bison, Null said. Like Higginbotham, Ali Burdette is a Class A First Team All-State player for the three-time state champ Buffalo softball team. On the court, Burdette is a junior outside hitter, who was named all-state special honorable mention last season.
“I want to say our biggest strength would be our hitting," Higginbotham said. "We have a really good setter (Martin), but we have really strong hitters as well. We’ve really come a long way since last year, but the thing with volleyball is to get the good hit you’ve got to have the good pass and the good set. We looked really good the other day for being on the court for the first time without Courtney and Hannah.”
Though there are some key losses from last year's squad, Null said this could be a breakout season. In fact, he said four years ago he predicted the current class of juniors and seniors would capture a state title.
Time will tell on that prediction. For now, the Buffalo volleyball squad prepares and toils during the summer in hopes of making that dream a realization.
The Bison open the season at St. Albans 6 p.m. Sept. 5.
This week, I talked with Buffalo volleyball coach Brian Null and senior Katie Higginbotham about how the Bison are handling the summer as well as expectations and preparations for the upcoming fall season. For my full article in the Daily Mail, click here.
Buffalo missed the State Tournament the past two seasons, but has made the trip to the Civic Center all but three seasons since Class A separated for the postseason in 2002.
“The past two years we’ve gotten beat by the state champion," Higginbotham said. "We have a very stacked region. It’s hard to get out of.”
That region includes 2013 state champ Williamstown, who defeated Buffalo in regional play to end Buffalo's season last year. Other perennial powers in Buffalo's region include Charleston Catholic, Wirt County, Greenbrier West, Gilmer County, Greater Beckley Christian, Doddridge County, Calhoun County and Parkersburg Catholic.
“Generally, our region, the way they’ve realigned it, probably has eight of the top 13 teams in the state year-in-and-year-out," Null said.
To escape the region, teams like Buffalo need talent and dedication. Both can be developed and that starts during the three-week summer practice period.
“We’re trying to use all of the three weeks and we’re looking to maybe get a couple dual scrimmages in with some other teams local," Null said.
Higginbotham said during the summer the Bison practice four to five days a week, and though it's important for the veteran players, the time is predominantly for the players newest to the program.
“Normally our youngest, our summer practices are mainly for the new girls," she said. "We want to get the younger kids in, it really gets them used to what high school sports are about because at Buffalo, we don’t have a middle school program, so they come in as freshmen never having played volleyball before unless they played in like a travel league.”
This year's squad returns solid players though they'll have plenty of work to replace the production and leadership of graduated middle hitter Hannah Toney and four-year starting libero Courtney Persinger, a Class A First Team All-State selection.
"They were great leaders last year and kind of left some big shoes to step into," Higginbotham said. "We have six seniors this year, but two of us, me and another girl, are the only ones who have played all four years, so these new girls are getting a chance to step in and see what they can do to fill in Courtney’s big shoes.”
Higginbotham will undoubtedly be one such player who will be expected to take a commanding role.
“She’s a four-year starter and she’s done a little bit of everything," Null said of Higginbotham, a 5-11 hitter. "She’s a great server. She’s left-handed, which is great, so that gives us a power hitter coming off the right side and most teams don’t have that. She’s our most experienced front receiver and hitter coming.”
Sophomores Shelby Turley and Rachel Martin will also assume key positions for the Bison, Null said. Like Higginbotham, Ali Burdette is a Class A First Team All-State player for the three-time state champ Buffalo softball team. On the court, Burdette is a junior outside hitter, who was named all-state special honorable mention last season.
“I want to say our biggest strength would be our hitting," Higginbotham said. "We have a really good setter (Martin), but we have really strong hitters as well. We’ve really come a long way since last year, but the thing with volleyball is to get the good hit you’ve got to have the good pass and the good set. We looked really good the other day for being on the court for the first time without Courtney and Hannah.”
Though there are some key losses from last year's squad, Null said this could be a breakout season. In fact, he said four years ago he predicted the current class of juniors and seniors would capture a state title.
Time will tell on that prediction. For now, the Buffalo volleyball squad prepares and toils during the summer in hopes of making that dream a realization.
The Bison open the season at St. Albans 6 p.m. Sept. 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment