As most of McIntosh knows, our sports teams have been doing fantastic this season. However, the football team winning three games out of three is not the only reason why. Volleyball, another sport dominating left and right, also deserves some recognition.
Our Lady Chiefs have completely taken over this year, with a streak of 28 wins and just 1 loss. In the state competition last year, the team tied for third place. This year, they are ranked second. Unfortunately, most of McIntosh is unaware. Junior athlete Miara Bryant explained, “If you ask anybody, they wouldn’t be able to tell you that varsity volleyball made it to the final four last year, but everyone would know that football won one game. It’s sad.”
Despite their consistent success, many of their games lack McIntosh support. According to several volleyball players, the number of people in the stands at the home games is around 17, most of them parents and faculty. Meanwhile, a normal football game has around 500. Junior Abbi Schelkopf added, “At our semi-final for state, we only had two fans: our manager and Connor Nash.”
When asked about why the team thinks there are not many fans of the sport, junior Reagan Mitchell said she thinks most students think the volleyball games are boring. Junior football player Josh Espinosa stated, “Football is just more unpredictable and violent [than volleyball]. People like to see people hit other people. That’s why you usually hear someone talking about that amazing football game instead of someone mentioning a volleyball game.” But volleyball can be fast-paced, intense, and violent, too. Last year, senior Saharra Griffin broke an opponent’s nose. One athlete almost got a concussion as well.
Junior Tatum Schindler, after discovering the Lady Chiefs’ almost-perfect streak, said, “I would rather pay $3 to see a volleyball game and have confidence that I’m supporting a winning team that will make my time and money worth it every time, than pay $7 to see a football team that may or may not win. Consistency really affects my willingness to support a team.”
The next home game will be on Wednesday, October 3. This game is also Senior Night. Five out of 12 varsity players are seniors, and they will all be recognized for their athletic achievement. This includes senior Breana Jones, who has already committed toArkansasStatefollowing years of commitment to the sport.
The volleyball team would really appreciate student support at these games. Head coach Wendy Weaver said, “Volleyball is an exciting game to watch, and we think that if students come they’ll have a great time cheering on their #2 State ranked Lady Chiefs.”
