Meet the Captains: Volleyball

Ali Fair

When did you begin playing this sport?

I have been playing volleyball since I was in 7th grade. I started by playing in camps over the summer and then started playing club during 8th grade.

Do you want to continue this sport in college?

Right now I don’t have any commitment to play in college but I am definitely going to continue with either club and possibly by trying to walk onto the team at the school that I end up going to

Who was your most prominent coach in your career?

Our Walpole high varsity coach, Coach Clemons has been very vital in my growth as a player. When I started volleyball she ran the clinics and helped me develop the skills that I needed to take my game to the next level. Since then every season she has helped me to become a stronger and smarter player as well as always encouraging our team to push ourselves every practice.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in?

I am involved in the film festival and I volunteer outside of a school 

How do you feel going into the season?

I feel really confident in the talent and chemistry that our team will have this year. We have a lot of strong returning players and some new girls that will definitely be able to contribute to our team this season. The unexpected extra time before our season has given us all time to get stronger and prepare for this season. 

What are some goals you have for this season?

Obviously a goal for our team is to win as many games as we can but I think this season especially it will be important that we value all the time that we have to play and never take a game or practice for granted. We can achieve this goal by giving everything we have whenever we step on the court because as all athletes have learned this year no game or practice is guaranteed. 

Who are some big rivals/components?

Usually Newton North is a really tough game. I’m not sure who we will be playing this season. 

What is one of your favorite sports memories?

My favorite memory is winning our first game of the season my sophomore year against Newton North which was something that Walpole hadn’t done in something like 20 years. I was injured so I wasn’t able to play but watching my team win such a hard fought game is something I will never forget.

 

Sarah Ball

When did you begin playing this sport?

I began playing volleyball in middle school.

Do you want to continue this sport in college?

I would definitely want to play club in college.

Who was your most prominent coach in your career?                                                                       

A prominent coach in my career was Coach Clemons, she coached me for 3 out of 4 of my high school years and has always pushed me to be the best and her love for the sport encourages us all to have fun while competing the best we can.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in?

I am also involved in Student Council, UNICEF Club, Journalism and NHS.

How do you feel going into the season?

I know it will not be a normal season like we all wish it could be but I really hope we can make the best of this season during the circumstances and just enjoy these games.

What are some goals you have for this season?

I’m very excited and hopeful about the skill we have on our team this season. Over the summer in scrimmages we looked great and I can’t wait to develop this team dynamic further. Some goals we have are to try and achieve an undefeated record and just put our all into each game we get the chance to play this season.

Who are some big rivals/components?

Milton is one of our biggest opponents, we are not sure yet if we are going to get the opportunity to face them this year but it is always great competition when we play them. 

What is one of your favorite sports memories?

My favorite memory from volleyball would be the amazing team bonding activities we always do. Bonding is important to improve team dynamic and trust on the court so team events are always a highlight. Unfortunately this season we will not get much of that because of the pandemic. 

 

Shannon Jordan

When did you begin playing this sport?

I started playing in middle school.

Do you want to continue this sport in college?

I hope to play club in college

Who was your most prominent coach in your career?

Coach Clemons has been a prominent coach career because she always pushed me to work as hard as I can.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in?

I also play basketball.

How do you feel going into the season?

I feel confident because we have lots of returning players and we know how to work well together. 

What are some goals you have for this season?

As a team we hope to go undefeated and push each other to work hard every practice.

Who are some big rivals/components?

Milton is always a tough game.

What is one of your favorite sports memories?

My favorite memory is the team bonding we have every season.