It’s been over two decades since Woodbury Middle School added a new team to the athletics roster, but this fall girls’ volleyball officially became part of the WMS interscholastic line-up. 

They had their first game of the season on September 23 at home in the WMS gym. Although they lost the match 2 sets to 1, Coach Jamie Odell was excited that her team held their own against an opposing school with seasoned volleyball players.

The WMS team has 18 players with many who played volleyball last year when the activity was a brand new afterschool club, coached by Odell and open to all. Odell said she was pleased that 39 girls of all skill levels came out for tryouts and says that bodes well for the new team in the future.

The team has been honing some key skills in practice, focusing on techniques like getting low to retrieve the ball, using forearms for accurate passing, and mastering setting and jumping. “Volleyball comes with a learning curve, especially for younger players who may not find these skills intuitive,” Odell explained. “We're emphasizing ball control, communication, and assertiveness on the court. My goals for this inaugural season are to ensure the girls enjoy themselves while pushing their limits, setting goals, and striving for improvement every day.”

Odell said she is also excited for the girls and the team as they maneuver the middle school volleyball landscape. “I don’t know what to expect from the teams we will play but based on our experience last year my players have made huge improvements. They are super excited and prideful, especially the eighth graders.”

Eighth-grader Sophie Mehegan, who played last year with the WMS club team, said she thinks the team has the makings for success. “We are pretty good, so I think we have a good chance to win some games,” Mehegan said.

Violet Starr, also in eighth grade, said there were no nerves about the first game against Schaghticoke, rather the team was extremely excited to have been part of the inaugural game in the WMS gym. “We are just super excited,” Starr said.

The schedule includes another game against Schaghticoke as well as games against Terryville, Oxford, Plumb Hill, and Swift.