By Charlotte Wilson | May 26th, 2022
The senior girls volleyball team season has come to a long-delayed close after a very exhilarating season. The team, made up of Grade 11’s, 12’s and one Grade 10, played and practiced at their best to put up a strong fight against their opponents. Despite the two-in-six game outcomes, their hard work definitely showed in both their gameplay and development.
This has been the first year the team has run since the start of the pandemic, something that has been very important to those in Grade 12 who have missed playing sports in a school setting. Players like team captain Kelly Ng have been asking to pull together a team since the return to school. Even when the happy news came that there would indeed be a season, the team was matched with setbacks and challenges.
The season started off very shaky, with a start that was continuously switching between "go-aheads" and "stops" to the season. Finally, a pause in all sports teams was announced, ceasing both games and practices. For a team that was playing for the first time together and making good progress, this was a large hurdle. After the Winter Break, the team was greeted with the good news that sports would be continuing and at last, they could play uninterrupted. This provided for a condensed season, very quick learning, and a solid start; the team leading with a first win against Cawthra.
One unmatched skill of the girls was the terrifying shouts of their cheering. Faced with opponents such as the Applewood Axemen, the girls left a lasting impression that the Rams were no less frightening. The bench was constantly making noise, whether it be shouting, cheering, clapping, gasping, or stomping along with every point, play, and serve. Game cheers inspired strong play and being twice as loud as any opponent made it clear The Woodlands were not there to mess around. Team spirit or ‘vibes’ as the coaches so commonly called it, was a central part of the team’s success.
Team spirit was shown through themed practices such as Green and Orange Day. It was one week after St. Patrick's Day, and Halloween costumes in March were unusual, but it made for an exciting way to practice. Additionally, the team could not have worked as smoothly without support from their assistant coaches Dharmik Ramlingam, Ray Zhu, and Oliver Wang of the senior boys volleyball team. While on occasion, a cup would be broken or a ball would go missing, their roles in giving advice and support in drills proved vital to the team’s success.
Halloween-Themed Practice
Left to Right: Emily Huang, Monica Cornea, Christina Ou, Ms. Ellins, Victoria Chakma, Aafia Khan, Charlotte Wilson, Susan Zhou, Louise Merial, Aisha Jelali
Leadership was taken on by captain Kelly Ng and on-court captain Monica Cornea, who individually contributed to better the team. The coaching staff, comprised of Mr. Le, Ms. Ellins, and Ms. Krispanis, made the season as enjoyable as possible. Mr. Le could always be found in the corner of the court to support the team and suffer the stress of some near-miss plays, Ms. Ellins could be seen sitting on the bench so that she could shout “YASS!”, “SLAY!”, and “QUEENS!” at any given moment, and Ms. Krispanis was always sure to give advice that made a great difference in helping to improve technique.
Monica shares her thoughts on the overall season and her top moments: “For our first season as a team under such unprecedented circumstances, the team did a really good job of pulling themselves together and overcoming hurdles in order to collaborate and succeed. Defense was a strong point for the team, [excelling] at having each other's back and covering the court on hard defensive plays. On one occasion after a game, a coach came over to remark how we went for every ball, never giving up till the end. Our coaches called this going for ‘every scrappy point’ and it benefited us immensely. On offense, we faced very [challenging] opponents. Despite this, the team was able to get the ball up with our amazing defense. We were then able to hit hard from our left sides, and for any free balls going over, we could use our excellent placement to throw to hard places on the other team’s court.”
“Two [of our] setters, Emily Huang and Akshaya Raamya, did a wonderful job of taking charge during rallies to secure kills for our hitters. Vennise Ho, the third setter, made amazing defensive plays on the line, to help Akshaya complete the set. The most memorable play from the season would have to be digging the best hitter from Applewood, passing to Akshaya for a dime, setting up Christina [Ou] for a kill!” Monica exclaims. “Additionally, the team always had great positive energy supported by Coach Le’s spirit and outfits. I could not have asked for a better team, and [I] look forward to the start of next year.”
Lorne Park vs. The Woodlands Game
Left to Right: Monica Cornea, Victoria Chakma, Emily Huang, and Christina Ou
The team will dearly miss their graduating Grade 12 teammates, but are looking forward to progressing even further with whatever the next season may bring.
Team Photo
Top Row - Mr. Le, Ms. Krispanis, Louise Merial, Lily Chau, Aafia Khan, Lillian Liu, Kelly Ng, Victoria Chakma, Ms. Ellins, Dharmik Ramlingam, Oliver Wang, Ray Zhu
Bottom Row- Charlotte Wilson, Akshaya Raamya, Aisha Jelali, Susan Zhou, Vennise Ho, Christina Ou, Monica Cornea, Emily Huang, Patti Ratana
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