Just a few days ago, the energy in our gym was electric as our Highlander Girls Volleyball team faced Madison Country Day School in the tournament championship game!
The competition was fierce, and with every serve and every save, the girls demonstrated the skills they had been working on so diligently all season. Serves were crucial in this match, and our team came through, showcasing just how much they had improved.
For most of the girls, this season marked only their second year ever playing volleyball. Last year, HHA athletics had just launched, and while the team didn’t manage a win then, they did gain a passion for the sport and a work ethic that inspired everyone.
The girls were hardly ever seen without a volleyball at recess, and many of them attended summer camps to sharpen their skills, including our very own HHA Highlander Skill Camp with UW superstar, Sarah Franklin. Their dedication and determination to improvement paid off in the most rewarding way!
Saturday was a match full of incredible moments, but one highlight stood out: Sixth-grader, Mina, made a mature play off the net, saving the ball for her teammate to hit it over, scoring the game-winning point! This was one of the skills the girls had been honing in practice, and seeing it executed perfectly under pressure was an inspiration and a testament to their growth.
Head Coach Kaelia couldn't contain her pride: "I am so proud of the girls. They took everything we had been working on and applied it to their games today. They were determined to win. We have seen such growth from them in just a couple of months, from serving to movement to communicating with their teammates. Working with them has been the best."
Assistant Coach Madeleine expressed the joy of coaching this team: "Being these girls' coach and working alongside Megan and Kaelia has been the definition of rewarding! Volleyball is a sport near and dear to my heart, and now so are these wonderful people. They showed exactly what it takes to play with their heart."
"I am so incredibly proud of all the girls and how they have all improved so much. We had all girls getting their underhand serves over the net and some getting their overhand serves over too, which was a huge improvement from the beginning of the season. It was great to see the hard work in practice pay off, to show the girls working together, scoring points, and ultimately winning the end-of-season tournament." - Assistant Coach Megan
A massive shout-out to our coaches, who poured so much energy and love into helping these girls grow, and to our families, whose support and enthusiasm were felt every step of the way.
We have to thank the HHA community as well. Our programs and curriculum are grounded in character development, and these girls have taken the lessons they’ve learned in the classroom and applied them to the court with integrity, teamwork, discipline, and determination - all while having fun,` of course!
We couldn’t be prouder of our Highlander girls volleyball team. Congratulations on an incredible season and a well-deserved tournament win! Your hard work, growth, and heart inspire us all! 🏐💙
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