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Some of the most knowledgeable volleyball fans in Eastern Jackson County could only watch an assortment of area teams take part in varsity and junior varsity competition at the Lee’s Summit North High School Summer Volleyball League Tuesday night.
Those fans are area head and assistant volleyball coaches, who are not permitted to coach their respective teams until this school year is complete. The year has been extended because of all the snow days that accumulated during last year’s treacherous winter.
“School is out June 2, so I’ll be able to work with my girls next week,” said veteran Truman volleyball coach Denise Craig, who was preparing to watch her youthful team take on Blue Springs South.
“We are going to be so young. We lost just about everyone from last year’s team – and it’s been a long, long time since we’ve been this young. So this league is really important for a team like ours because we need to get as much experience as possible.”
Blue Springs South coach Deb Becker will also be able to coach the Jaguars next week, as this school year at South also ends Thursday.
“We have the girls coaching, the girls officiating – they’re doing it all,” Becker said, laughing. “Our JV is playing right now, and that’s what’s so great about this league. You can enter your varsity team, your junior varsity team or combine kids from each team.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to get familiar with each other during the summer.”
South standout outside hitter Carly Sojka used the Tuesday night session to greet both old and new teammates.
“It’s so funny to see the girls like Taryn (Miller from Blue Springs), who I play competition ball with, with their high school teams,” Sojka said. “Then I get to see all the new girls who will be freshmen at South this year.
“This is just a great league to see where you stand before the season even starts. Last week, we won two games with Truman and split with Ray-Pec – which was really disappointing, because I thought we should have won both games.
“But that’s why you have a league like this. You get to know your teammates better, and you really get to know your competition.”
South tied Blue Springs for the Suburban Big Six conference championship last year and finished with an 18-11 record.
Some of the most knowledgeable volleyball fans in Eastern Jackson County could only watch an assortment of area teams take part in varsity and junior varsity competition at the Lee’s Summit North High School Summer Volleyball League Tuesday night.
Those fans are area head and assistant volleyball coaches, who are not permitted to coach their respective teams until this school year is complete. The year has been extended because of all the snow days that accumulated during last year’s treacherous winter.
“School is out June 2, so I’ll be able to work with my girls next week,” said veteran Truman volleyball coach Denise Craig, who was preparing to watch her youthful team take on Blue Springs South.
“We are going to be so young. We lost just about everyone from last year’s team – and it’s been a long, long time since we’ve been this young. So this league is really important for a team like ours because we need to get as much experience as possible.”
Blue Springs South coach Deb Becker will also be able to coach the Jaguars next week, as this school year at South also ends Thursday.
“We have the girls coaching, the girls officiating – they’re doing it all,” Becker said, laughing. “Our JV is playing right now, and that’s what’s so great about this league. You can enter your varsity team, your junior varsity team or combine kids from each team.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to get familiar with each other during the summer.”
South standout outside hitter Carly Sojka used the Tuesday night session to greet both old and new teammates.
“It’s so funny to see the girls like Taryn (Miller from Blue Springs), who I play competition ball with, with their high school teams,” Sojka said. “Then I get to see all the new girls who will be freshmen at South this year.
“This is just a great league to see where you stand before the season even starts. Last week, we won two games with Truman and split with Ray-Pec – which was really disappointing, because I thought we should have won both games.
“But that’s why you have a league like this. You get to know your teammates better, and you really get to know your competition.”
South tied Blue Springs for the Suburban Big Six conference championship last year and finished with an 18-11 record.
“We were so good last year, and we have a lot of our best players back,” Sojka said. “It’s just a lot of fun to come over to North and watch teams and then play. It makes the summer a lot more fun.”
North coach Rhea Moses has the league format down to a science.
“We have two gyms and the multipurpose room, so we can have two matches in the gyms and a match in the multi – so five games can be going on at once,” Moses said as she checked off the competitors in North’s main gym.
“I think we’re the only school in the area that can do that. It’s pretty amazing, our building is 17 years old and you could never tell it by looking inside, or outside. It’s really in great shape.”
Fifteen area high schools have varsity and junior varsity teams involved in the league, which runs for four more weeks.
The first session of games begins at 5 p.m. and the second session begins at 7:30 p.m. There is no charge to watch games.
“We have each team play two games and officiate a game each night,” Moses said. “Everyone seems really happy with that format.”
She said she even gets to coach her Broncos team when they take the court next Tuesday.
“I have some great alumni kids who help with the league,” Moses said, “so when it’s time for our team to play, I get to be there on the bench with them.”
