LIKE MANY TEAMS ACROSS THE COWBOY STATE CODY FILLY VOLLEYBALL IS BACK IN ACTION AND COULDN’T BE HAPPIER. THE FILLIES ARE A YOUNG BUT EXPERIENCED TEAM HEADING INTO 2020, FEATURING JUST 3 SENIORS. STEPHANIE BIRCH IS BACK AT THE HELM TO LEAD THE WAY FOR FILLY VOLLEYBALL AND GIVES HER EARLY ASSESSMENT OF THIS YEARS GROUP.
“WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF HEIGHT,” COACH SAYS WITH A LAUGH. “WE NEED SOME OF THESE YOUNG KIDS TO GROW A LOT MORE. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO PREACH IS GRITTINESS AND DEFENSE. WE DON’T HAVE TO BE THE TALLEST, WE DON’T HAVE TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL KIDS BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE THE HARDEST WORKING KIDS AND MAKE THE OTHER TEAMS PUT IN A LOT OF EFFORT TO HAVE TO SCORE AGAINST US. SO THAT’S KIND OF THE MENTALITY WE’RE TRYING TO BUILD DURING THESE DOUBLE DAYS, IS SOME OF THAT NASTINESS. JUST GET OUT THERE AND DO YOUR BEST.”
THAT GRITTINESS AND NASTINESS STARTS NOW AS THE FILLIES ARE CURRENTLY DOING TWO A DAY PRACTICES. THIS MAY BE A YOUNG TEAM COMING INTO THE YEAR BUT YOU WON’T FIND MANY TEAMS ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAS AS MUCH EXPERIENCE.
“ON PAPER WE ARE YOUNG. I MEAN IF SOMEBODY WAS TO LOOK AT MY ROSTER AND SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SOPHOMORES AND A FRESHMAN AND SOME SENIORS MIXED IN, THEY WOULD DEFINITELY THINK THAT WE WERE A YOUNG TEAM BUT IN VOLLEYBALL YEARS WE GREW UP A LOT LAST YEAR. SO WHEN I LOOK OUT THERE, IT’S VERY ENCOURAGING BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE AS BIG A LEARNING CURVE. THEY ALREADY KNOW MY STYLE, THEY ALREADY KNOW THE EXPECTATIONS, THEY’VE ALREADY BOUGHT IN AND KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO.”
THE FILLIES WILL RELY HEAVILY ON THEIR TRIO OF SENIORS THIS YEAR, BRITTAN BOWER, GRACE SHAFFER AND ALLY SCHROEDER.
“WE HAVE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDDLE BLOCKER AREA NOW. MOVING BRITTAN MAYBE TO A NEW POSITION THIS YEAR. I THINK IS GOING TO BE REALLY EASY FOR HER BECAUSE OF ALL THE EFFORT THAT SHE HAS CONSTANTLY PUT IN. THIS WILL BE GRACE’S THIRD YEAR SETTING VARSITY FOR ME AND SO THE SETTER IS KIND OF THE QUARTERBACK OF THE TEAM, KIND OF RUNS EVERYTHING AND SHE ALREADY KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT AND HAS BEEN THERE FOR TWO YEARS. SO THIS YEAR SHE IS JUST GOING TO BLOSSOM.”
AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO FIND MANY GIRLS IN THE STATE OF WYOMING THAT WILL OUT WORK ALLY.
“THE OLD ADAGE THAT WORK BEATS TALENT UNLESS TALENT WORKS IS NO MORE TRUER THAN WITH ALLY. THAT GIRL WORKS AND WORKS AND IS NEVER SATISFIED. I CAN’T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES SHE KEEPS COMING UP TO ME AND ‘HOW CAN I GET BETTER, HOW CAN I IMPROVE?’ SHE’S CONSTANTLY WANTING TO KEEP WORKING.”
WHILE THEY’RE NOT VIEWED AS A BIG SCHOOL IN CLASS 4A, THE FILLIES COULD BE A SLEEPER IN THE 4A RANKS THIS YEAR AND IT’S THEIR LACK OF FEAR THAT MAKES THEM DANGEROUS.
“WE ARE ONE OF THE SMALLER 4A SCHOOLS AND WE ARE YOUNG. I MEAN WE DO HAVE A LOT OF VOLLEYBALL EXPERIENCE BUT THESE GIRLS STILL HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT TO GO. THE THING THAT I LOVE MOST IS THAT THEY’RE NOT AFRAID. ROCK SPRINGS IS RETURNING A LOT OF PLAYERS, THEY’RE GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD, STAR VALLEY, EVANSTON, NATRONA IS NEW TO US THIS YEAR. THERE’S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD SCHOOLS BUT THESE GIRLS ARE NOT AFRAID. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO COME IN AND BE BEAT BY THE NAME WHICH I SO APPRECIATE AND WITH BEING GRITTY, THAT’S GOING TO DO A LOT OF GOOD FOR US THIS YEAR.”
THE CODY FILLY VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS BACK ON THE COURT READY TO SPIKE THE COMPETITION. STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON FILLY VOLLEYBALL INCLUDING A WORD FROM THEIR 3 SENIORS EARLY NEXT WEEK.
