The MCDS high school girls varsity volleyball team had an impressive season this fall, and the secret was more than skill – the key was learning how to bounce back from mistakes and put the team’s best interest first.
This season was one the best seasons in MCDS volleyball history for both high school girls varsity and JV teams. Varsity finished the season with a record of 12 wins and 11 losses, and the Junior Varsity team finished the season with a record of 14 wins and 4 losses. Going back to 2017, MCDS girls’ volleyball teams had not won any conference games. Yet this year, the varsity team won two conference games and tied for 4th place in the Trailways Conference.
Additionally, they upset their regional semi-final opponent for the second year in a row to advance to the regional final. Both teams showed a lot of growth from the previous season, which shows the promise of the volleyball program in the years to come as the athletics program continues to grow.
Many players talked about how one of the team’s focuses was learning how to have what their coach called a “reset mindset” to get in a better headspace when faced with difficulties. “A lot of the focus is not about the error, it’s about how you strategize to reset and come back from it,” said Sidney, setter and one of two captains for the junior varsity team.
After every point, no matter the outcome, the players would huddle and have a team reset as a reminder to set up teammates for success instead of getting mentally swept away by minor mistakes. They learned that the team’s best interest always comes before individual interests. The volleyball program is a tight-knit community because the girls worked together five days a week on and off the court, strived towards a shared goal, and learned to trust and depend on one another.
Despite being the smallest school in the Trailways Conference and competing against schools that are one division higher, the Hawks volleyball teams never backed down despite the odds, and set themselves apart with their resilience and determination. The volleyball program has come a long way in the past three years. When head coach, Kassi Conditt, first started, MCDS girls volleyball teams had not won more than three games since 2017. Coach Conditt has led the program to back-to-back winning seasons and WIAA tournament wins, showing incredible improvement and potential. These impressive developments in MCDS volleyball have been noted by many current and former players, MCDS coaches, and even coaches from other schools.
“MCDS athletes are earning respect across the conference in all sports,” said Coach Conditt. She added, “More students are choosing to stay [at MCDS] because they see the value in being part of something bigger than themselves, and being part of the change. That’s what community is and that’s how strong athletic programs are built,” the girls varsity coach stated.
One of Coach Conditt’s favorite coaching tips is to “sweat the little things,” a phrase she frequently uses to encourage her players to pay attention to the small details, which is the opposite of the commonly held belief to ‘not sweat the little things.” She encourages athletes to pay attention to form, effort and attitude, which add up to a lot of growth over the course of the season and beyond. She also encourages players to keep that mentality on and off the court by doing the right thing when no one is watching, staying on top of schoolwork and treating others with kindness and respect.
“This program proves what’s possible when you lead with heart, hard work, and belief in each other,” Coach Conditt said.
