The girls beach volleyball team is known as a subcategory of volleyball; don’t let the term “sub” fool you, as this sport is anything but. The team has had a successful season, holding a 4-3 record, going on a three game 5-0 win streak against The Master’s Academy, Lyman and Lake Highland Prep.
The team has a prestigious place here at Oviedo High School, impressively ranked 66th in Florida overall. What sets beach volleyball apart from regular volleyball is in the name – it’s played on sand.
This adds a unique element of difficulty to the sport, requiring excellent footing on the ground, with the sand constantly shifting underneath the players feet, making it hard to balance, all while keeping an eye on the ball and ensuring the players are right where they need to be in order to get the ball right back over the net.
“Beach [Volleyball] is unique since you’re competing with just one partner, so we’ve put a big emphasis on building strong connections, communication, and trust with each other.” coach Jennifer Darty said.
The sport of Beach Volleyball subverts traditional volleyball expectations, shifting from traditional methods of 6 on 6 in which 6 players go up against another 6 players. It has instead shifted to a more modernized 2 on 2s, cutting down the players to just two people against an opposing two players. This puts the pressure on during matches, requiring players to have near perfect synchronicity with their partners, or they could mess up and allow the other team to score a point.
“Being just the best teammate I can be, and supporting my teammates.” sophomore Emma Clark said.
What this also does is help people to form closer bonds with fellow teammates, allowing social connections to flourish during their season. Even when the season may not be going the best, the team grows stronger as a whole, furthered by the bonds they’ve developed.
“I remember as a freshman going in, just being a little scared, but I think the team that volleyball brought just really was comforting and supporting.” junior Allie Thompson said.
The season started off strong, winning against the Winter Springs Bears 3-2. However, since then it has been slightly rocky, with the last two games resulting in losses, including against Hagerty. resulting in a 5-0 score, despite the girls best efforts. This won’t discourage them though, they’ll keep their hard work going.
