The Stars Behind a Winning Team
The ACP volleyball team is a pillar of athletic prowess on this campus, a power-coupling of talented athletes and coaches alike. A climactic end of the season brought along with it a chance to represent the most impactful and talented team players alive. Among the most stunning awards were Coach Heather Orr as the Metro East Region Coach of the Year, and Julia Golichowski, Krista Rowan, and Daria Sukhareva with the Metro East All Region First Team. Here’s what Daria Sukhareva had to say about the team!
Q: What most helped your team to the championship?
A: Our transformation from a team that just puts in 100% effort to a team who executes when and what is important within every game. Every game is a beast of its own to tackle, and through applying the adversity of our team in these unique games, we were able to succeed in anything we set our mind to.
Q: What has Coach Orr done to make sure that the team is not only successful, but that each player is also successful?
A: The coaches worked very diligently to implement the character matter programs by having each varsity player present one of the word to the JV and Varsity teams. By explaining the importance of the character of a player above anything else, they were able to build this extraordinary beast by the name of ACPVB. Constantly working with every individual and hearing our input, I can honestly say these were the best coaches I’ve ever had and will remember the lessons they have taught me my entire life.
Q: How will you continue to improve from this season?
A: By journeying so close to that championship, the team has realized how there is no horizon for what we can achieve. Although I will be leaving this inspirational team, I know there is no limit to how much we can improve. I know all the girls have an unquenchable thirst to go all the way after seeing how close we were to the championship. By maintaining passion and understanding specific areas of improvement, we will continue to improve all through next season before a large majority of the team graduates.
Q: What is the next step for the team?
A: From this season on, the team will have to step up to a whole new, fine-tuned level while maintaining the family aspect we have all worked to achieve. Through our state run this year, we realized there are teams who are undoubtedly talented, and those who have become in sync through playing together for countless years, although we realized we have something more special. This is passion and trust. Our team will work to fine tune our skills to ensure a stronger block and defense to put up against Northwest Christian in next year’s finals.
Q: What can the Knights expect from the team next season?
A: Next season I am positive the girls will be hungrier than ever because just as I said, by experiencing how it felt to get to close to the championship, everyone will hone in all they have to ensure complete success. Success was most definitely reached this season, too, yet next season there will be a strive like no other to maintain the character, love, and trust which we have set a precedent to this year. Get ready because the girls are still hungry for more!
The 2018 season saw a rapid growth in the number of awards bestowed upon our athletes, and this expresses a growing statistic with ten 2017 medals as opposed to fourteen 2018 medals. The growing number of award recipients has only just begun for this team, and the promising varsity players are prepared to take the reins on the team. The wildly triumphant volleyball team has truly expressed their skill this season, and ACP can’t wait to see what our medaled athletes do next!
