Imagine standing on the court, waiting for the referee to blow the whistle. The moment that you hear the sound of the whistle the bail sails over the net. There’s a pass, a set, and finally an attack to receive the point. Out of 20 games, the Lady Bulldogs won one during their game against Cornell Senior High School on Sept. 6.

Getting ready for the season started in back in February when coaches Brad Baldwin and Jillian Zentko started to prepare game plans, team contracts, booster information and gym times. Then the hard work began in May of last year with conditioning.

“We encourage our team through positive and negative reinforcement, film, discussion and reflection,” Baldwin said.

Freshman Angel Clinkscales joined volleyball and being on the team has helped her to make new friends and improve her teamwork skills. She spent her summer getting ready for this season but it is all worth it to Clinkscales.

“Volleyball has been so fun this year and it has been a very enjoyable experience,” Clinkscales said.

Volleyball helped Clinkscales with her move up to the high school due to her making new friends with the upperclassmen who she knows that she can rely on to help her when she is struggling with anything. Clinkscales shared about the ways Baldwin helps to encourage the Lady Bulldogs.

“Coach [Baldwin] keeps the team encouraged to keep trying their best by making practices intense and tells us when we do something wrong,” Clinkscales said.

The volleyball team worked incredibly hard to prepare for this year’s volleyball season. The members of the team work hard to insure that they can and will be successful during the volleyball season. Hard work is what makes playing a sport or participating in any activity so rewarding.

“My favorite part about coaching volleyball is developing our players into better students, athletes, and teammates,” Baldwin said.

For the volleyball players, the team means that they always have others that are always there for them and improving on their teamwork skills.

“My favorite part about volleyball is getting to work with a team and improving on my teamwork skills,” Clinkscales said.

Volleyball is a way to build friendships, teamwork skills and to make hard work appreciated. Hard work is required to make any sort of sport rewarding, especially volleyball.

The final game took place on Oct. 19. During the first set of the game, Freedom lost 13-25 to Quaker Valley. The second set did not bring any more success for the Lady Bulldogs. They lost 10-25. The third set was similar when the Lady Bulldogs lost 12-25. During the entire game, the volleyball team worked hard and worked together.