A Great Teammate (Reposted)

Everyone can't be the star, but everyone can be a great teammate. Alan Williams addresses this in his book Teammates Matter. Williams was a walk-on for Wake Forest basketball and played 59 minutes in four years, earning respect as a player and great teammate. 

Melrose volleyball earned its reputation as a "legacy program," one of the most consistent teams in Massachusetts. The Lady Raiders won the State Championship in 2012 and earned eight Division 2 North sectional championships. They reached the state finals four times. The team earned the MIAA Coaches’ Sportsmanship Award in 2004.

Making a competitive team is hard. Local girls learn volleyball skills earlier each year, and scrap for the chance to enter the program. The competition doesn’t end with team selection. Girls sacrifice free time and are held accountable to a different standard of behavior than some peers. 

Coaches Celli and Schmitt set expectations and review school rules. Participation fees make their job more difficult, as fees help to defray expenses, but don't assure playing time.

The coaches explain how to contribute through practice, positive attitude, and  improving both themselves and teammates. Many reserve players would have big roles on other Middlesex League teams. The coaches inform the players that they earn playing time according to their progress. The rotation is dynamic according to performance. Not everyone plays as much as they would like. The shared goal is having a championship team, playing at its full potential. Understandably, players and parents can find this difficult.

“The race doesn’t always go to the swiftest or the battle to the strongest, but it pays to bet that way.”

Although many players have earned recognition locally and some statewide, few accomplished more than a girl who played more than a decade ago - being a great teammate. She wasn’t the star; she often played late in games after the outcome had been decided. She worked hard to become her best. She knew she wouldn’t play during the big moments, watching younger, less experienced but talented teammates. 

She accepted this, valued being part of the team and contributed however she could. Her best friend, Marianne Foley, became an All-Scholastic, while she cheered and supported the team. Both shared the moment of becoming Melrose's first Division II North volleyball champions, a team that went 22-2 and came within a point of going to the state championship, losing to the ultimate champions, Marlboro. And everyone knew that Danielle Burke was a great teammate, a memorable part of Melrose volleyball history. 

Recent MIAA Volleyball Meeting

Here's the link to the 2-23-21 MIAA Volleyball meeting highlights. 

No statewide tournaments for 2021 season (Fall 2)

COVID line disappears. 

Volleyballs must be sanitized after each game. 

Entering players must use hand sanitizer. 

Fast Forward to the Fall 2 Schedule

COVID-19 left Melrose girls in volleyball limbo last fall. The Fall season yielded to Fall 2 which offers the advantage of more normal rules. 

Melrose traditionally prepares with several scrimmages culminating with the Medway Play Date. With so many changes forced upon schools by the pandemic, I'd expect a most focus on volleyball fundamentals, skill development and intra-squad games. 

Hat tip to Jen Gentile for providing the schedule link. 

There will be an additional game at Wakefield. 

Alumnae Profiles

When information becomes available, I share what I know about former Melrose Lady Raider volleyballers.

Emma Randolph rows for the Clemson University Tigers. 

Victoria Crovo, a senior at UMASS Amherst, will attend veterinary medicine school as her next adventure. 

Kayla Wyland assumes the head volleyball coaching position at Wakefield High School.  

Melrose Girls Volleyball Roster, Fall 2 (2021) Season

Coach Celli announces the 14 player Lady Raiders roster for the (Fall 2) 2021 season. Note the balance among the classes. 

Seniors:

• Emily Hudson 
• Eva Haralabatos
• Grace Sanderson
• Sofia Centrella

Juniors:

• Elena Soukos
• Autumn Whelan
• Abby Hudson
• Ava Burns

Sophomores: 

• Chloe Gentile
• Gia Vlajkovic
• Ava McSorley
• Emma Desmond

Freshmen:

• Grace Gentile
• Sadie Jaggers

The long "Sister Act" tradition among the volleyball program continues. The Hudson sisters return as hitters, and the Gentiles bring a combination of an attacker and defensive specialist. 

The balance among classes allows young players to grow within the culture of the program with strong upperclass leadership. Tradition never graduates. 

Tryouts Continue

"The work continues." The second day of tryouts continue as Coach Celli works on roster construction.

The Lady Raiders have always had a blend of youth and experience. This season Melrose will have plenty of experienced youth like junior Elena Soukos and sophomore Chloe Gentile and junior Autumn Whelan. They complement veteran starters like setter Eva Haralabatos and Emily Hudson. 

Hudson, Soukos, and Gentile make up a formidable hitting trio. Teams need a trio of big hitters to win big. And don't sleep on senior Grace Sanderson. The battle for the back row positions remains in progress. 

The current plan is a ten game regular season with home and home matches against other Freedom Division clubs. Intraleague playoffs with crossover against the Liberty Division are planned to follow. 

Just as for basketball, games are planned to be live streamed. 

Expect the roster to be available tomorrow night. 

 

2021 Tryouts Underway

"Fall 2" volleyball tryouts began today at the MVMMS Gym. Coach Celli leads an experienced team with a strong core. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league is likely to have a truncated schedule which is not yet published. 

Melrose returns a host of capable hitters, experienced setters, and up-and-coming defenders. 

As always, the Lady Raiders are likely to blend experience from the senior class with young but experienced returners in both the front and back lines. 

The best teams feature a diversified attack with at least three big hitters, experienced setting, and a capable libero and Melrose checks all those boxes.