Cody Volleyball Off to Hot Start

WITH FALL SPORTS NOW IN FULL SWING IT’S TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CODY VOLLEYBALL TEAM. THE FILLIES FRESH OFF A STATE APPEARANCE HAVE CAME OUT OF THE GATES STRONG GOING 10-1 TO START THE SEASON. WHILE THIS IS A YOUNG TEAM, IT’S ALSO A VERY EXPERIENCED GROUP. HEAD COACH STEPHANIE BIRCH GIVES HER OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE TEAMS EARLY SEASON SUCCESS.

“FIRST IMPRESSION OF THIS TEAM IS THAT THEY’RE RESILIENT. I WOULD NOT HAVE THOUGHT THAT, COMING IN WITH SUCH A YOUNG GROUP THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE SO MUCH CHARACTER THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON, BUT WE HAVE WON IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. WE’VE WON BEING UP REALLY FAR AND NOT LETTING A TEAM CATCH UP TO US. WE’VE COME FROM BEHIND. WE’VE HAD TO WIN CLOSE ONES. JUST THE RESILIENCY AND THE FIGHTING ATTITUDE THAT THESE KIDS HAVE, THIS EARLY, IS IMPRESSIVE.”

THE BRONCS HAVE PLAYED IN MULTIPLE TOURNAMENTS TO START THE SEASON BUT TYPICAL MATCH PLAY IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. COACH BIRCH ON WHAT TO EXPECT GOING FORWARD.

“YOU KNOW WE’RE GOING TO ATTACK CONFERENCE PLAY THE SAME WAY WE’VE ATTACKED EVERY DAY THIS SEASON, IS NOT GET TO FAR AHEAD OF OURSELVES. EACH DAY WE HAVE A GOAL, WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE’RE GOING TO WORK ON AND THEN THE NEXT DAY WE BUILD ON IT AND WE BUILD ON IT. TODAY IN PRACTICE WE’LL EVALUATE WHAT WE DID WELL, WHAT WE STRUGGLED WITH. THEN THIS WEEK WE’LL TRY TO WORK TO FIX IT. NEXT WEEK WE’LL KEEP DOING THE SAME THING. INSTEAD OF GETTING TO FAR AHEAD OF OURSELVES.”

AND WITH CONFERENCE PLAY COMING UP THE QUEST FOR ANOTHER STATE APPEARANCE IS UNDERWAY. COACH BIRCH ON THE GOALS THE TEAM MUST COMPLETE TO GET BACK TO THAT STATE TOURNAMENT.

“WE HAVE TO PLAY OUR STYLE OF VOLLEYBALL. WE PLAY A FASTER UP TEMPO GAME AND WE STRUGGLE WHEN TEAMS TRY TO SLOW IT DOWN AGAINST US. AND SO WE’RE TRYING TO LEARN THAT DESPITE WHAT THE OTHER TEAM IS DOING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NET, WE DO WHAT WE DO. WITH A YOUNG GROUP LIKE THAT IT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE’RE TRYING TO LEARN. TO NOT GET SO CAUGHT UP IN WHAT THE OTHER SCHOOLS OR TEAMS ARE DOING AND JUST FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO, THAT WE DO WELL.”

THE CODY VOLLEYBALL TEAM HITS THE COURT THURSDAY FOR A MATCH-UP AGAINST RED LODGE IN MONTANA. THEN THE FILLIES RETURN TO THEIR HOME COURT SATURDAY AS THEY HOST GREEN RIVER. MATCH TIME IS AT 2PM.