Liza Broydo has been playing volleyball for four years. Her freshman year, she was excited to bring her skills to the girls’ volleyball team. After making the junior varsity girls’ volleyball team in the fall, she decided to play on a club team in the spring and not play for the coed team here.
Now in her sophomore year, she decided to try out for the coed team. Broydo ended up making the team and is now one of the six girls, along with four boys, who make up the coed volleyball team.
The team is led by first-year captain junior Ellie Baker and coach Mary Malinauskus.
Tryouts for the co-ed volleyball team, lasted from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Mar. 1 and Mar. 4 for girls and the same days plus Mar. 5 for boys. Tryouts included a series of drills, conditioning and scrimmages showing off the athlete’s skills from spiking to serving. The final roster was revealed on Mar. 5 and included a mix of boys and girls in all grade levels.
Sophomore Leah Boxman, who played on the junior varsity girls’ volleyball team in the fall, assisted at tryouts and believes the season will go well. “The girls looked really good. Everyone who attended tryouts were good players and they all knew each other well. So no matter which boys make it I know they will mesh together well,” Boxman said.
The first game of the season takes place at home on Mar. 21 at 5:30 p.m. against Northwood. To prepare, the team has practice every day from 3 to 5 p.m. Broydo compares practicing with all girls to practicing with boys and girls. “The net is a lot higher during coed season because of the boys so it’s way harder to hit and block, which means girls have to work harder. Plus, guys play differently so you just have to adjust,” Broydo said.
Baker is most looking forward to playing with her male teammates. “I played on the varsity girls’ volleyball team this year and playing with boys is way different. Boys hit harder than girls so it’s fun to try and dig those. But I am excited to be playing with the girls too. I just love working with the team and seeing them improve,” Baker said.
Sophomore Joshua Hu is on the co-ed team for the first time and is excited for the season. “I’m really looking forward to playing games. I think the one I’m looking forward to the most is the Churchill one. Even in volleyball the games get really competitive,” Hu said.
The team’s first game is later in the month but not determined yet. High expectations are resting on the team’s shoulders to keep up their status as one of the better co-ed teams on the county.
