With the beginning of the season comes the promise of endless possibilities. For the Dragon volleyball team, it is a chance to create an unbreakable bond that goes beyond the court.
The biggest challenge GHS sports and activities are facing this year is division. GHS splitting into two schools with the opening of GEHS played an immense role in setting team rosters and coaching staff. Both schools now strive to establish their own identities while the Dragons try to uphold the legacy of GHS volleyball. The success of this season will inevitably hinge not just on skills, but on the ability to build a stronger community despite the separation.
“We definitely lost some good players, but we kept some key players, so it’s not that different, but it has allowed us to come a lot closer,” junior Elle Heckenlively said. “We don’t have as many people, so we get to talk to everyone easier. It also allows other people to step up who wouldn’t have stepped up if everyone was still here.”
The transitional phase has given rise to new leaders who embrace the opportunity to guide and motivate their teammates. Losing seven upperclassmen created leadership spots to be filled. The class of 2024 stepped up to this challenge.
“As a senior, I am a leader on the team,” Kennedy Shelburne said. “I have no one else to look up to, so I have to be the person that everyone else looks up to.”
While leadership is an important aspect of the team, the bonds between players are a key factor to success. The split between high schools was a challenge for many teams, but it unexpectedly created a stronger team chemistry with the volleyball team.
“Not having all of my teammates that I had last year is hard,” sophomore Lily Zimmerman said. “But this year I am getting to know all my teammates better.”
The team also experienced a shift in the coaching staff. Former head coach Mr. Mike Brandon left the Dragons for the head coaching position at Gretna East. Mrs. Wendy Loberg stepped into the head coaching position. Mrs. Loberg was an assistant coach with Mr. Brandon for six years. Prior to that, she was a head coach in Ord, Nebraska, for 11 years.
“I got back into head coaching because I want to see the sport grow and help younger coaches get involved in the game,” Mrs. Loberg said. “I wanted to inspire young girls to be successful, to be leaders, to be great teammates, to be hardworking and to love the game as much as I do.”
Mrs. Loberg believes in the acronym “No BCD”. This stands for no blame, no complaint, and no defense. The coaching staff wants the girls focused on getting better instead of focused on what went wrong. The coaches also apply this by putting focus on being a great coach for their players and encouraging them.
“I want this team to be the very best team that it is capable of being,”she said. “I want to inspire leaders and young women who are success driven. If we focus on that, we’ll be in Lincoln in November.”
Another acronym that helps the team succeed is “C4E.” This means competing for each other. This mindset promotes selflessness, as each member of the team looks to contribute their best and support each other when others are not at their best.
“Competing for each other means we compete as hard as we can in practice to make each other better so we can compete our best in games,” Heckenlively said.
The team has many players getting their first year of varsity experience. With the loss of many players to GEHS, someone had to step up. Mrs. Loberg speaks to the fact that the upperclassmen lead by example and create strong relationships.
“We see a lot of different faces on the court,” Mrs. Loberg said. “Sometimes developing those new relationships is not easy but it is so rewarding to see more young women be leaders and great teammates.”
