MORGANTOWN — In the game of volleyball, when a team executes its offense according to plan — perfect pass after receiving the serve, perfect set, perfect hit for a point — it’s really a thing of beauty.
But the reality is that, even at the highest levels, that kind of execution doesn’t happen nearly as much as you’d imagine, which means it’s often the scramble points — the free ball points, when the entire team has to adjust on the fly — that makes or breaks a set, a game, a match, a season.
And last year was, as far as veteran University volleyball coach Don Godfrey is concerned, one long, extended scramble point of a season.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Godfrey, ready to begin his 20th season at the helm for the Hawks. “It was so tough for the girls to maintain their focus when the protocols kept getting adjusted and the season kept getting interrupted. Everyone was in the same boat, of course, but the day-to-day uncertainty really took its toll on us.”
Still, UHS had its chances before bowing to Bridgeport in the regional tournament, but Godfrey also worries about the effect moving forward, especially on his younger players.
“The freshman just didn’t get as much varsity experience as they usually do, because of the limited number of matches we were able to complete,” he said. “We’re hoping that this doesn’t translate into a hidden diminished development for these girls, and we’re extra focused on getting them up to speed as quickly as possible.”
Now, as the season approaches, everyone in the UHS program is excited and enthusiastic about moving forward, including a big turnout for the fall.
“We had 52 girls out here for a tryout, way more than during COVID,” senior middle hitter Sierra Lanham said. “We were kind of worried that less girls would show up, so it was great to see the interest bounce back. And several of my teammates played together in a summer travel league, which gave us a good chance to catch up a little on our skills development and our communication with each other on the court. But even more, we got a chance to reconnect as friends, and that leads to trust and support, and you have to have that to be an effective team.
“So, there’s a lot of excitement just to be able to get back together and bond as a team. It’s the best part of playing a sport — being with your friends, battling toward a common goal, and supporting each other. We just hope we can all be safe so that we get a full season in, and get a chance to show what we can do.”
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