The seventh and eighth grade girls’ volleyball season started on Jan. 27 with their first practice, and the first match was on Feb. 3. This year the eighth grade team has a new coach, Mr. George Bellinger. He is also the high school volleyball team’s coach. The seventh grade coach is Ms. Dawn Patosky, the ninth and tenth-grade biology teacher. 

Patosky has been coaching for a total of five years and hopes for the team to “come together as  a cohesive force to work together against the opponent, and expects everyone to work together, be a positive influence, and improve.” 

Bellinger has been coaching for 30 years and says, “What I want is for players to learn the skills they need to be successful as a high schooler.” When asked why he started coaching volleyball, Bellinger said, “ I played volleyball and walleyball in college and really enjoyed it, I thought it would be fun to coach.

Gianna Guandolo and Sarah Lisanti, both seventh grade, are new to the volleyball team. Guandolo says she was most excited to play Keystone Oaks.

“It is a good change of pace from my usual sports,” said Guandolo, which are soccer, basketball, and track. 

“Get better at it, and chant on bus rides to away games.” Lisanti said when asked what she is excited for, she also said she wants to play because “My sister plays and it looks like fun.”

Morgan Keller and Jenna Haskey are both playing for their second year and are in eighth grade. Keller is excited for, “ Playing with the seventh graders and getting to be the big kids now.” She decided to start playing because, “I thought it would be fun, I had never played before, and I really liked it.”

Haskey says, “ I am excited for winning more.”, and, “My sister played and I really liked watching her so I thought it would be fun to play.”

So far the season is going OK, the junior varsity’s record is  3-6, and the varsity’s record is 1-6.