Volleyball is going strong this year, with the varsity team in first place with a 2-0 record in the East Sequoia- Redwood League after victories over Farmersville and Orosi this fall.
The team is “kind of the top dogs in the league for the past couple of years,” said Kyle Ludington, varsity volleyball coach and physical education teacher at Wonderful College Prep Academy.
Ludington said he has played volleyball for 15 years and started the volleyball program at WCPA after taking coaching courses in college in 2004.
The JV and frosh varsity teams are also doing well, following in the steps of varsity. JV has a record of 15-5 while frosh is 12-3. Varsity is 19-8 overall.
“This team knows when it’s time to win. In those stretch moments when it’s the end of the game, they know how to put the sets away and close out teams when they should be beating them,” Ludington said.
Key players for the varsity team include seniors Rebecca Gonzales, Daniela Macias, Selena Rico, and sophomore Khobie Magana, Ludington said.
Players say they work hard to balance academics with mental challenges, while being the leaders in the league.
”I balance the time I have at home to finish any assignments that are due. I am very excited and looking forward to completing my assignments for fun,” Gonzales said.
A lot of struggles for the volleyball girls are mental challenges. The volleyball girls are finding ways to communicate and bring themselves together, holding themselves up for the moments they need.
“I’m really proud of all the girls because you could tell that they’re all doing their best. It’s okay to make mistakes. I always tell them we can always make it up. Having a good mentality, keeping up our communications and not putting yourself down,” sophomore Heidi Vasquez-Garcia, frosh volleyball player, said.