Despite the challenges that the Lady Marauders volleyball team faced during COVID-19, the girls are ready to come back in full swing for the 2021 season. Over the summer, the team trained four days a week, both on the court and in the Maclay field house, in order to make the 2021 season the best yet. 

“The team and I are preparing for this upcoming fall season by practicing diligently and having bonding time to work together better as a team,” senior Sophia Dalton said. 

Dalton is the senior captain of the 2021 Maclay volleyball team. She is the leader of the Lady Marauders and helps the team run smoothly as well as work together. As captain, Dalton encourages her team members to play as best as they can and uplifts them during their preseason training.

“The team and I workout to prepare us for our big season coming up,” sophomore Brooke Nohle said. “The workouts help us build muscle and maintain stability on and off the courts.”

The team workouts included working with weighted squats to build muscle in the legs and benching around 80 to 100 pounds to improve upper body strength and strengthen the core. Workouts for the team also involved working on the track. On average, the Lady Marauders ran about a mile worth of sprints.

“The girls are putting in effort towards lifting heavy weights, running the track and sprinting,” coach Daijah Washington said. “Their workouts will improve how they play on the court and become stronger throughout the season.”

While Washington encourages the girls herself, she pushes the team to motivate each other as well, whether it be lifting that weight one more time, running that one extra lap or critiquing each other on their last workout. As the team’s coach, Washington gets to watch the team work toward hard-earned goals, but she also challenges the team so they can be prepared for the worst and best times during the season. 

“I want the team to become closer both on and off the courts so that once we play games we can communicate well together,” sophomore Amelia Haggins said.

Preseason training may have included many intense workouts and bonding exercises, but as the Lady Marauders prepare for their first game, they plan to continue to encourage each other daily in both the weight room and on the court. 

“My main goal for this season is for our team to win districts,” sophomore Katelyn Eldred said. “This will allow us to believe more in our strength together as a team.”