Starting essentially brand new with only three returners and dealing with the challenges that come with COVID is something that head volleyball coach Camille Ramirez will be dealing with this season. 

       “ It may be tough. But I have coached many of the seniors in a previous season and I know they are really hard workers and great people, so I was super excited to be able to coach them again,” said Ramirez about how she thinks this year’s season will go. Seniors Paige Millard, Erica Hamon, and Macie Millard will be the three taking charge this season if fall sports are allowed to return in January after the CIF pushed them back. 

         Senior Macie Millard is a little nervous with returning only three players but states, “I know we can make the best of it.”  Paige Cori Miller also shares the same feelings but states, “I think we will be able to find some great new players.” 

        According to Ramirez, Miller has been on the varsity team all four years and she, “will be an important part of the success of our team.” She adds, “ Hamon and Millard are also returners that have proved themselves on the court last year and I’m excited to see what they can accomplish this year too.” 

        Many senior athletes were disappointed that the season got pushed back, but are hoping that the CIF allows play in January. “ I’m really disappointed that the season is moved back because I was excited for my senior season,” stated Miller.  Millard understood that the season needed to be pushed back  and stated, “ I think that it was the best choice so that everyone can stay safe.”  Ramirez thinks that, “ it was a smart thing to do. I don’t think there was a safe way for us to play when our season was supposed to start.”  She adds, “ I’m very concerned that it still won’t be safe for us to play even in January.” 

        With the challenges of COVID and social distancing, tryouts will look a little different this year.  “ If we do get the go ahead to play, we will have to have multiple try out times and days to try to accommodate everyone and have some sort of social distancing,” said Ramirez. 

       With these challenges of social distancing comes training. With the shutdown came the shutdown of gyms and made it hard for some players to continue to train. “ Before all the gyms shut down I was working out everyday to get ready for the season,” stated Miller. Millard states that she is still preparing almost every weekend for the season starting, “ I play on the weekends with my family. COVID didn’t change anything because I am still doing the same thing I would do during the off-season.”

      With all these challenges these seniors are still hopeful for a season and have goals in mind for their season. Miller states, “ I am hopeful that we have the best season yet.”  Millard thinks that, “ I think our season will be good, we have an amazing coach and I think that is all that matters.” 

Millard and Miller say volleyball has taught them a lot. “ Volleyball has taught me that if I put the time and effort in I can be as good as I want,” says Millard. Whereas Miller says that she has learned, “ to be disciplined and to have mindfulness.”  

 In the end Miller and Millard play this sport for a number of reasons as well as what it has taught them. These two seniors are hoping they get to put it to the test on the court.