PCS volleyball takes to the court this week
The Perkins County 2021 volleyball team kicks off their season tomorrow, August 26 in a triangular with Sutherland and Creek Valley.
This will be the start of Coach Monica Cole’s 14th year on the volleyball coaching staff, and her fourth year as the team’s head coach.
The team’s assistant coach is Brooke Lee.
The team’s numbers have dropped off a bit this year compared to last year’s team, according to Cole, but it is still a larger team than what they had two years ago.
This year’s volleyball team consists of 18 team members, with eight freshman members, two sophomores, three juniors and five seniors.
Freshmen include Libby Cole, Emily Cornelius, Casey Johnson, Tylie Petersen, Charis Goodell, Zoe Baumgartner, Kenna Busick and Kaila Bullock.
Sophomores are Kaitie Cook and Kailee Potts.
Gracie Loy, Mackayla Wallin and Mallory McClenahan are this year’s junior team members.
The 2021 seniors are Autumn Anderson, Juels Lyon, Samantha Patrick, Meghan Bishop and Kylie Tucker.
The team is also joined by three student managers: senior Kristen Bullock, fifth grader Macey Cole and fourth grader Rowan Lee.
Cole noted Anderson, Cole, Cook, Lyon, Patrick, Potts, McClenahan and Tucker are for sure varsity suitors this year.
The first two weeks of practices, according to Cole, focused on fundamentals, adding it was “kind of grueling,” but they have since moved into more team-focused activities, and the girls are competing against each other well.
“These girls are hard workers,” she said.
“They play hard, they condition hard and they work together doing it. It has been fun to watch the progression so far.”
Some things Cole is working on in particular are playing smarter, serving smarter and mental obstacles.
She wants the girls to be able to think ahead to the next play instead of playing in the moment, and getting the other team out of system so they have more opportunities for kills. She also wants to help them work on being tougher in the mind, especially regarding confidence and trust.
Cole noted the team has been showing good teamwork, communication and technical skills.
“Each day we have picked out one person at the end of our practices that has been the best communicator or hustler for that day,” she said. “Each day, they cheer each other on for it, but are also eager to be chosen. It kinda amps up the competitiveness, I think.”
She added that she feels PCS has a seasoned team at this point, with five seniors on the roster, three of whom are returning starters.
The team will face their first opponents tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 26 at Sutherland with games beginning at 4:15 p.m.
Also before the month ends, the girls will host Brady and South Platte for a triangular Tuesday, Aug. 31 starting at 4:30 p.m.
Their regular season will run through mid-October, followed by subdistricts Oct. 25 and 26, districts Oct. 30 and State Nov. 4, 5 and 6.