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Independence, MO —
Last season, Truman volleyball coach Denise Craig led a surprising Patriots squad to the district championship match and a 14-17 record after a 1-7 start.
That was easily Craig’s most inexperienced team, and her coaching performance earned her the Greater Kansas City Officials Association’s Coach of the Year award.
A year later, Craig’s group is again looking pretty green with three freshmen – Ana Stasiazorich, Alexis Hart and Briana Savidge – projected to start. That said, Craig is a lot more confident about this squad’s ability to step in and compete immediately.
“I’m young, but (the freshmen) are coming in with a lot of experience,” said Craig, who has never started three freshmen before. “... I don’t know how long it will take, but I feel like they’re going to be decent and they’re competitive. I think they’ll compete with everybody.”
Mixed with the freshmen are three seniors – Darci Kern, Sarah Peck and Sandra Chiles – and a trio of juniors in Dani Skoch, Abby Hix and Rebecca Jonas. Craig said that’s the best blend of youth and experience she’s ever had. That’s already helping the Pats foster a sense of cohesiveness.
“It couldn’t be better,” Craig said. “It’s amazing. They’ve done things all summer. We’ve gone to some great camps. We went to St. Louis so they were forced to be together. When you’re sleeping over at someone’s house and you’re all together, you’re forced to get along. I don’t think it can be any better for us.”
BUILDING BLOCKS: There are plenty of unknowns for the Fort Osage volleyball team this season. But the good news is coach Sean Barrett knows he’s got at least two talented weapons to build around.
Senior Lynn Siefker and junior Asia Cole return as the squad’s top hitters. Those two will be tasked with carrying much of the Indians’ offense.
“Obviously with a lack of height these are my two big girls who are really going to take a load of swings,” Barrett said. “So that’s obviously helpful offensively and we’re just trying to keep it simple and control the ball and find a way to get them a ball to hit.”
Getting the pair those opportunities, however, is going to be the challenge. But while Siefker and Cole might be the standouts, Barrett said he’s got a good feeling about his supporting cast.
Last season, Truman volleyball coach Denise Craig led a surprising Patriots squad to the district championship match and a 14-17 record after a 1-7 start.
That was easily Craig’s most inexperienced team, and her coaching performance earned her the Greater Kansas City Officials Association’s Coach of the Year award.
A year later, Craig’s group is again looking pretty green with three freshmen – Ana Stasiazorich, Alexis Hart and Briana Savidge – projected to start. That said, Craig is a lot more confident about this squad’s ability to step in and compete immediately.
“I’m young, but (the freshmen) are coming in with a lot of experience,” said Craig, who has never started three freshmen before. “... I don’t know how long it will take, but I feel like they’re going to be decent and they’re competitive. I think they’ll compete with everybody.”
Mixed with the freshmen are three seniors – Darci Kern, Sarah Peck and Sandra Chiles – and a trio of juniors in Dani Skoch, Abby Hix and Rebecca Jonas. Craig said that’s the best blend of youth and experience she’s ever had. That’s already helping the Pats foster a sense of cohesiveness.
“It couldn’t be better,” Craig said. “It’s amazing. They’ve done things all summer. We’ve gone to some great camps. We went to St. Louis so they were forced to be together. When you’re sleeping over at someone’s house and you’re all together, you’re forced to get along. I don’t think it can be any better for us.”
BUILDING BLOCKS: There are plenty of unknowns for the Fort Osage volleyball team this season. But the good news is coach Sean Barrett knows he’s got at least two talented weapons to build around.
Senior Lynn Siefker and junior Asia Cole return as the squad’s top hitters. Those two will be tasked with carrying much of the Indians’ offense.
“Obviously with a lack of height these are my two big girls who are really going to take a load of swings,” Barrett said. “So that’s obviously helpful offensively and we’re just trying to keep it simple and control the ball and find a way to get them a ball to hit.”
Getting the pair those opportunities, however, is going to be the challenge. But while Siefker and Cole might be the standouts, Barrett said he’s got a good feeling about his supporting cast.
“I got five or six willing to work hard with positive attitudes and good leaders willing to play where they’re needed to play,” he said. “I’m going to put people out of their comfort zone, but they’re a good group that’s willing to do whatever.”
MRVC DRAMA: There’s some good news and bad news for the Grain Valley girls tennis team as preseason practice starts up.
The defending Missouri River Valley Conference champions return four of their top six from last season. And with only two seniors on this year’s roster, the program’s future looks bright.
The bad news is that while Grain Valley will be replacing their Nos. 1 and 2 players from last season, the Eagles’ MRVC rival Harrisonville returns its top four, including its top two.
“It’s going to be very difficult for us,” Grain Valley coach Randy Draper said. “But I think we’re going to be able to play. We’ve got some girls that have made some improvement and some maybe even drastic improvement.”
Among the Eagles’ returners are junior Nathalia Barr (last season’s No. 3 player), senior Jessica Dornes (No. 4), junior Darby Scharfenkamp (No. 5) and senior Mariah Hernandez (No. 6).
“I like what I see so far,” Draper said. “We have to get our doubles straightened out. I think we’ve got probably nine or 10 kids that legitimately may be in that top six. We’ve got a lot of separating to do here in the next couple weeks.”
