With a productive offseason behind them and strong start winning key games, the volleyball team is in the middle of a busy new season.
On opening night, the volleyball team faced off against John Carroll and Saraland. Returning varsity coach Grace Burgess expressed enthusiasm about opening night’s results.
“I don’t know another team in the state of Alabama that wants to beat us more than John Carroll,” Burgess said. “They brought it. I mean, it was such a great match. We won in three…then we beat Saraland in two. And they are a really, really good program. So opening night was kind of eye opening for us in that we realized we could do some big things.”
The Patriots walked into a high level tournament the day after opening night. Homewood went 3-1 in their pool, only losing to Spanish Fort, which is a fan favorite to win state this year. Directly after this loss, the Patriots turned around and beat McGill-Toolen, a three time defending 7A state champion.
“I think that that was a big moment for the kids, just knowing, if we stay focused like we could actually be really, really good this year. And I think they felt it, and they knew it, and we gained a little bit of confidence going forward,” Burgess said.
All of the losses following the matchup against Spanish Fort were against strong 7A programs. Before McGill-Toolen’s three-peat at state, Spain Park won the 7A championship in 2021 and Hoover in 2020. 7A school Ocean Springs from Mississippi has a record of 18-4, going 6-0 in their district. The Patriots are currently 8-5 overall and 1-0 in their region.
Leading up to these opening season games, months of training prepared players’ bodies and minds for the hectic regular season. The team began practicing in January lifting two days of the week and training two days of the week. They did mental training on Fridays, consisting of a book study.
In July, as the season drew closer, Burgess had the team focus on preparing for game play.
“I think in the beginning you have to, you have to get your serve and pass game as good as it can be, and then after that you can progress your offense,” Burgess said. “That’s what I believe in…Focusing also on just how to compete really, really hard.”
Although the Patriots lost nine seniors, Burgess notes many players stepped into new roles such as senior hitter Mae Noerager. Burgess describes her leadership as calm and collected but still strong and vocal. Noerager holds down the fort as a key asset for their team.
Mae Noerager, committed to play at Trinity University in San Antonio, believes they should work hard and conveys her belief about the importance of practice.
“I expect us, in the gym, to just be consistent in our effort and work,” Noerager said. “KB said this: ‘You have to pay rent every single day’. You can’t just, not go to practice. You can’t have an unfocused practice and expect to win.”
Two other standout players this season have taken on leadership roles within the team.
“We have two juniors that have really kind of taken over the vocal leadership, and that’s Addison Wood and Kameron Coleman,” Burgess said. “Both those players are varsity returners, so I think that they do have a little bit more confidence and comfortability [sic] in that.”
Noerager believes strong leadership and dependence on one another will be what carries them through the season.
“Lean on our teammates because it’s a team sport,” she said. “There’s nothing without teammates.”
