Walking into a gym where the net is up, crowds are slowly starting to pour in and the nervous energy that comes with playing starts up. Independence Volleyball is back for their third season.

“Our season was really good. We worked hard from preseason to the end of the season, and it paid off,” Sanjana Patel, 11, exclaimed. This season, Independence athletics are in a higher division, meaning harder competition, and the volleyball team did well. They not only worked hard, but also kept a light and positive attitude throughout practices and games.

The team came together through bonding drills during practice. Kailey Oh, 11, explains, “We do a drill called Brazilian Ball Control, where as a group we have to keep the ball going while playing aggressively and showing effort, this helps us work together.” 

The team did well this season with a 12-11 record according to Patel, while being in a harder division than in previous years.