By Cody Schott
A volleyball court spans 60 feet. Last year, it seemed like the girlsâ volleyball team turned every last inch of that into excitement.
With a new season coming, we can expect the same.
They play with passion and they play smart; but above all else, they love playing.
They are intimidating. Kill after kill leaves the other team defenseless and downbeat. The sight of Meg Norton â10 jumping is enough to make me quiver. When she makes contact with the ball, Iâm sure a few silent screams go off, both in the stands and across the net.
Then the wonder kicks in. After leaving their opponents bloodied and beaten, the Wolverines draw applause from the audience. Half of them are dumbfounded by what they saw; the other half claps in fear.
Iâve attended my fair share of games. I have my favorite cheers (“Na-Na-Na”) and have lost my voice on a considerable amount of occasions. Watching them in the CIF final was different, though. Amidst all the verbal assaults with the Flintridge fans, the jeers and the empty pizza boxes on the floor (we had ordered Dominoes on the bus), I really began to appreciate what I was watching. It was after the first game point that I realized something. It was an epiphany of sorts.
I wanted the clapping and cheering to stop.
“Shhhh,” I whisper to a friend next to me. “The coronation is about to begin.”
The definition of a queen is quite simple: a female monarch, a woman who exhibits power. Queen Victoria left her impact on their world as did Queen Elizabeth. These volleyball girls are leaving a legacy on this school, a place where pride matters.
The march to queen-dom began last year. Norton, along with her fellow starters, powered the team to an undefeated record in Mission League.
That didnât suffice, though. They were hungry. They wanted more, and their ambition couldnât be contained. They rolled through the CIF playoffs, leaving their mark on both court and opponent. State was the cherry on top for a team that ended up being ranked third in the entire nation. They breezed through that too. It seemed as if they evoked divine right-they could not be stopped. They proved that they were more than just a team, and I can only do justice for them by giving them the royal stamp.
Some may argue that we lost Katherine Sebastian â08 and Cathryn Quinn â08. Ariana Sopher â09 and Krystle Higgins â09 are both prepared to fill those respective roles. Norton and fellow outside hitter Emily Waterhouse â09 are both one year more experienced. The depth of the team is just as strong, thanks to a youthful bench and a formidable JV team from last year. The “princesses” are ready to step up into their new role.
At every step of the way this year, Iâll be sure to remind people that we are in the presence of royalty.
When they retain the league crown, Iâll praise them.
When they swarm the floor after winning CIF, Iâll bow my head in reverence.
When Norton spikes the Wolverines to a second state championship?
The coronation will be over. Fanatics will be parading through the streets. The dynasty will begin. Welcome to the reign of volleyball.
