Win or lose, this team is a family. The varsity volleyball team at Pahrump Valley High School and coach Veronica Montanez have had an amazingly long season and have put in a lot of hard work to get where they’re at now.
This is Montanez’s second year of coaching for volleyball. She played when she was a high school student at PVHS and genuinely missed the game. She absolutely loves her girls and just loves coaching them in general. Montanez says, “getting through sicknesses and having to adjust the lineup..” has been one of her biggest challenges this season. If she had to give a piece of advice to someone that’s new to the game she would encourage them to do their fundamentals, go to open gym during summer or even practicing at home doesn’t hurt.
Julianna Ondrisko is number five on the team and plays as an outside hitter. She’s a sophomore this year and it’s her second year of playing. Her best friend inspired her to play her freshman year. It was something new to her but she genuinely enjoys playing. Her biggest challenge has to be serving, receiving, and hitting. She also plans on playing volleyball in college in her future. A few words Ondrisko can say to anyone that’s new to the game is, “Play with heart and be there for your team and that will make you a team player and a great player.”
Heavenly Ware is number one on the team and her position is 9’s. This is her sophomore year, as well as her second year playing volleyball. She had a lot of free time and thought that volleyball would be something she should definitely try out. Later discovered that she was actually good at this sport. Her coach moved her position around quite a bit of time and found out that playing her position was the best spot for her. It worked out for her, saved a lot of their plays, and helped everyone else on the team. She loves the connection she feels with her team on the court. The most challenging part of volleyball for her is making sure your mentality is clear before and during a game. Something she could say to someone that is new to the game is, “To keep going. My first year I played starter JV but before that, I thought about quitting practices because I felt I wasn’t good enough. If I would’ve quit I would’ve never been able to be where I’m at right now.”
Volleyball doesn’t just require physical strength but it requires a lot of mental toughness. The game is about staying focused, confident, and resilient. It requires a whole range of different skills in order to be successful. Volleyball is traced back to 1895 in Massachusetts, USA. This sport was created by American Willam G. Morgan. It is a game that can improve a person’s self-confidence, self-esteem and body image. Volleyball is supposed to be a game for people to have fun and connect with your team on the court. The varsity volleyball team has shown us just that. They’re truly a family. Six players will be graduating this year from PVHS and move on to their futures ahead of them.
They’ve had a long and successful season. Cheer them on and congratulate them for the season they have had. Wish them luck as they head for the class 3A southern region girls’ volleyball playoffs!
