Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Once we had that happen, we were kind of like, oh, man. Like, we can make a push this year.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: And welcome back to another episode of in the nest here at Emmaus Bible College. We're excited for today because we're talking about the volleyball season recapping mean what a year we had. And we're joined by head women's coach Hannah Richter. Coach, welcome back to the podcast. Hey, we're here, man. Talk about what a year. I mean, we talked in the middle of the season, kind of like where we were at there and wow, what a season we had. Can you kind of give us your thoughts on this season? Like, wow, just still your guts? No. Going from last season, Owen 16 to coming into this season, we finished ten and twelve.
The stark contrast between the two years is like the growth, too. Like, holy cow.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: Yeah, it was night and day, but.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: We knew that it was coming.
[00:01:09] Speaker A: My thoughts? Yeah, obviously it was more fun.
Yeah, no, I feel like going into the year, the biggest thing I just wanted us to do was improve, which I knew we were going to do. I just didn't know what the level of improvement was going to be.
[00:01:27] Speaker B: Right? Like, we knew, like, yes, we are winning the game this year. We are going to be competitive. But it wasn't until first weekend it was like, oh, when we beat what Clark, their JV team, it was like, oh, snap.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: Well, and it was like, I feel like Meg and I kept preparing the girls just be open to anything and we didn't know what their jv was going to bring over. So we were like, okay, it's either going to be like a good match or we're just going to get bombed. But then we played really well, so it really flipped what our expectation was. So, yeah, I mean, once we had that happen, we were kind of like, oh, man, we can make a push this year. And I think my target that I set for myself was like, okay, if we win five games, we can show that we have improved. When we're talking to recruits, basically, we can hold a bar into the bargain. Of all the talk we've been having with the guys that are coming in 2024 and saying like, hey, right now, this isn't an encouraging look on our record, but it's coming.
[00:02:27] Speaker B: We just needed proof and boy, did we have.
[00:02:29] Speaker A: But we just kept getting better and better. Not to say there wasn't a lot of times where we struggled, but I think it just really comes down to we were very young and everybody was new together, so we still had a lot of things to figure out. But, yeah, super successful.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: Yeah, we had four returners and we had six incoming new players. And just from the get go, the group was just. They loved each other, and that was just so cool to see coming off of last year and how tight that group was with all the stuff that they went through. And then this year, with the early success, with the success throughout the season and just seeing their character, like we talked about earlier in the couple of episodes ago, about how we won the sportsmanship award, which back to back years, which is amazing, that just shows the character of this team, of who we are, of you and coach Megan and Coach Tasha and the program that you're building. And it's just like, wow, it's so exciting.
[00:03:26] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think that was our biggest challenge, is being Christ centered, committed, competitive, especially having those three things. We were kind of on, like, a three year outlook with it. And so last year we were owing 16, but we were super Christ centered, and it was really fun and encouraging in that way. And so this year we were like, okay, we're in phase two. We're Christ centered, but we also need to maintain that same culture and be very extra committed to that, but also show that we're committed there in the middle. Be committed to Christ, but also be committed to making that push for competitiveness that we're really going for going into year three.
And, yeah, they just did that.
[00:04:07] Speaker B: They so very well.
[00:04:08] Speaker A: And I think there were a couple of times we had to almost bring them back to reality and be like, hey, we're doing well, but this is not the peak. Yes.
And so, yeah, no. The past couple of weeks of just being in the weight room and kind of like the start of being out of season have been really encouraging, too.
[00:04:27] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:28] Speaker A: I don't know. Love those guys.
[00:04:29] Speaker B: I think it's really cool to see going from last year to this year and the success, but also knowing, like you said, we're not even close to where we could be at. The girls got that taste, that victory taste. They got the conference tournament taste, they got the regional taste of like, okay, this is where we are. This is where we need to be. And I think the work they've already put in, they want it. They really want it. And it's super exciting to see that. And I know last year we talked about, oh, yeah, the outlook is good for this year. We're excited, we're encouraged. We'll see what happens. But going from this year to next year, it's like, man, you can make even a bigger jump.
[00:05:08] Speaker A: Well, and it was so good, where last year, everybody that was in the program had to contribute. In some ways they were comfortable with, in some ways they weren't. And so this year, it was nice to really see that we could still carry along our culture but have more of a true team where we have girls who are in roles that they know or that they could learn, and then we have girls who are on the bench and being able to come off the bench and fill those roles. But also something I talked to MSA on squirt a lot about is, even though she was on the bench a little bit more, the opportunity that she had that, and it was something I didn't realize until we got to midseason. We were at Marinatha that night and telling her, we've formed our encore culture and our program culture, but we've also started to form this be on the bench, be a great teammate culture, and she's a super important component of that. And so things are just really forming.
And so, yeah, I'm just really hoping and praying that as we go into the next fall that we stay with that. Very healthy with it.
[00:06:18] Speaker B: Cool to see she was the biggest cheerleader out there. Oh, so fun.
[00:06:21] Speaker A: We were making fun of her the.
[00:06:22] Speaker B: Other night, especially with the bench with basketball or the bench with volleyball. That's so key and so important on the momentum swings, the exciting plays. You hear the bench get excited when an exciting play in the court happens that just gets the crowd even more excited. And seeing, while she didn't play as much, but she was the greatest teammate.
[00:06:44] Speaker A: And it's just, it's a priceless role.
[00:06:48] Speaker B: It's something that you don't see on your team a lot.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: No. And I think, unfortunately, in talking to some of the girls about going into next year because they have questions like, oh, well, if so and so comes, what am I going to do? Where are they going to go? What's going to happen?
But I think we just genuinely have, like, a group that no matter what happens, because next year is going to be totally different for us, we're going to have true competition.
[00:07:05] Speaker B: Boy, is it to play.
[00:07:06] Speaker A: And so people are going to have to compete in practice to have the ability to compete in the match. But I think they all have said, I want the best for the team.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:07:15] Speaker A: Because you kind of got to ask, like, hey, what are you thinking about next year? And not one of them were like, well, I hope that I'm playing in this role. It was nothing related to that. It was all like, I'll do whatever is best for the team. I'll do what you ask me to do. I'm open to whatever my role is and it's just so humbling and incredible to be surrounded just by a group of ladies that I don't know. Yeah. Just love each other that much and can just like.
[00:07:40] Speaker B: And just how bought in they are to what you guys are doing, too. Yeah. I think first and foremost, their love for one another drives. I'll do whatever I want to play. I want to be competitive, but if someone better comes in, then, yeah, there's.
[00:07:56] Speaker A: Never been any ounce of bad blood with any of that.
It's great. I love it.
[00:08:02] Speaker B: That's awesome. I know we're so excited for the future, but a little bit. Talk about. Let's talk about some highlights from this year. Obviously, there were a lot of highlights, especially in comparison to the last couple of years, and it's just been really cool to see the growth that we've had. But tell us about some of the highlights from this year. I mean, first, I want to say last year we won three sets throughout the year. This year we beat three ranked teams. And just seeing that stark contrast, it's like, wow. But now you can talk.
[00:08:35] Speaker A: Okay.
And I was talking to Reggie about it last night and he's, you know, I said, all these highlights and he was like, well, those are only competitive highlights. I was just, he just challenges me.
So thinking about, just like our program, highlights that are competitive and non competitive, our Christ centered highlights are definitely like the sportsmanship award, kind of like you said, knowing that you can play well and love others well and glorify the Lord and all the things that we're doing, you don't have to pick one or the other.
[00:09:13] Speaker B: I love what Anna Harwood on the women's basketball team said. Yeah, you can be good and be Christ like. What? Yes, you can.
[00:09:19] Speaker A: But it's hard. It's really, really hard. And especially from somebody like myself, who is equally competitive as they are and probably more so competitive in the match because I know what they can do if they're not doing it. Yeah. It's just a real testament to them. And it's just nice to know as a coach that the girls who you brought in, there's a consistency with it and the way that they say they're going to buy in and you're going to buy into them and you're all just going to have that love and respect for each other, that it's just coming out and that other people are recognizing it. So that was definitely a highlight.
I think I was just more proud of that than any of the other awards that they got because, yeah, it was just so cool because they worked really hard for that, especially having more personal.
So I think that. I think a highlight that people wouldn't see is just like the way that the girls loved each other off the, like, last year, I think Megan and I really wanted to run the team Devos and Megan did an incredible job with putting those together and leading them through those. But we kind of told our leadership council and our more senior players, this is your responsibility now. And they really took hold of that. And so they've been having consistent team devos through the whole semester and are planning to do that next semester as well. So I'm really proud of them for that. I think a highlight is Tasha Parker, coach Tasha being with us last year was just like a whirlwind for them, so it just wasn't going to happen. But she's brought a really good piece to our program, just like, in the way that she also invests in the girls and loves them and connects with them, but, yeah, just like, her mind and her skill set and the things that she enjoys to coach, it was just like.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: It just fits. Right.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: So good where you and Coach Megan are at. Yeah, no, we were really thankful for her. So that was definitely a highlight just to add her in with us, too. And I think the girls can agree with that. So, I don't know. But then, yeah, like, the competitive, mean, starting off the, like, I think us taking a set off of Manhattan, who.
[00:11:29] Speaker B: Was eventually the national runners up in.
[00:11:31] Speaker A: The championship, I mean, they're a great program and I think, like, talk about them almost every time I'm on here just because I have so much respect.
[00:11:38] Speaker B: For Lauren, who was also the national coach of the year. Yes.
[00:11:44] Speaker A: I think taking a set off of them really helped set a tone for the duration of our season because it's something that we didn't expect to do. We went into that match telling them, this might very well be the best team we play all year, and we showed ourselves that we can compete with them. So that was really encouraging. But, yeah, I mean, beating the ranked opponents, being ranked for the first time.
[00:12:08] Speaker B: Which is 2018, amazing.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: Yeah. And it was short lived, but it was a nod still. It was a nod, and the coaches.
[00:12:15] Speaker B: Out there recognized, saw where we came from to where we are.
[00:12:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:12:21] Speaker B: Really cool.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: I think, obviously you got to.
And I think, yes, beating Marinatha, but just that entire few days of playing Marinatha, that five set matches on that Friday that we lost when they were here, whatever happened, the end result wasn't what we wanted. But that was an incredible match, and we fought under so many other circumstances that we weren't used to.
[00:12:47] Speaker B: Right. There's, what, like, 450 people in the gym, which.
[00:12:50] Speaker A: It was so hot, and it was like two and a half hours. Who plays volleyball for two and a half hours? You're fighting for one point. It's just crazy.
So, I mean, I think the way that we played that night and then coming down from that and feeling discouraged, but turning around and getting the sweep at their place, it was just like this perfect moment in time, and everybody was on fire that night, just ready to go. And I think we all just had this mutual, like, okay, we have the same goal. Yes, the goal is to win, but the goal is to still love each other well through it, and whatever happens, happens. And we just threw our hands up. We're like, let's play. Let's have fun. That's all I wanted for that night, was to have fun.
[00:13:31] Speaker B: And, boy, did they go and play.
[00:13:33] Speaker A: So, yeah, that was, I think, easily, like, our best match of the year.
So, no, a lot of really fun times.
And then there's just like, yeah, the quieter things, like, just fun times in the car and good discussions and things that we had or the things you.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Get to do on road trips and the team bonding stuff, it's a lot.
[00:13:52] Speaker C: It's really good.
[00:13:52] Speaker A: And I think probably one that just popped in my head is, like, just getting to go to regionals because Megan and I, it took us a long time to process. We haven't been to regionals since 2019 because it was Covid, and then the next couple of years, we just didn't go because it didn't make sense.
So, yeah, a good year.
[00:14:15] Speaker B: Very good year.
[00:14:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: Just knowing like that, like you said, not 2019 was the last year that we went to regionals because of COVID and then travel and our record and stuff. But just that alone, it's really cool to see that and just see the steps we've taken forward and the steps we are continuing to take forward and the steps that we will take forward, and it's just like, man, I don't know. Words can't describe how exciting this is.
[00:14:43] Speaker A: Yeah. And I've been telling everybody it's the first time I haven't been burnt out from a volleyball season, whether I was playing or coaching. And so, yeah, no, I'm kind of just like, let's just keep going here. Let's move forward. Let's get through the summer because, yeah, I can see what's ahead, and I don't want to lose the momentum that we have. And so I think that mindset is really affecting how we're going to be talking to the girls through the second semester.
We're just going to change our language. It's not open gym. It's practice. It's not off season. It's just second semester. We're just really changing that because we don't want them to relax enough that they forgot mentally or physically where we ended because, yeah, I think there's a lot of really exciting things ahead. So they'll get their rest, they'll get their time, but right back. But we're still moving forward. But I think we're still such a young team, too. Yeah. And I think we can do that because they are young and they're hungry for it. But we also have personalities of girls who do. They do better when they are challenged and they have things at the forefront of their mind.
So, yeah, that's really fun.
[00:15:51] Speaker B: We got to do a little bit of bragging.
[00:15:53] Speaker A: You're going to brag?
[00:15:54] Speaker B: Going to brag about you, coach.
[00:15:55] Speaker A: Don't brag about me.
[00:15:56] Speaker B: Yes. Come on.
When was the last time we had a regional coach of the year? You were awarded the midwest regional coach of the year. And I think it's so cool to see, well, he won coach of the year, like, what, five years ago, six years ago? 18 year, whatever year it was. But I think it's just so encouraging what you and Coach Megan, coach Kosher are doing. But people recognize that. They recognize how last year went and how this year turned out, and they thought that was really cool. And I think that's just really encouraging.
[00:16:28] Speaker A: Thanks.
[00:16:29] Speaker B: Yes, coach, you are a good coach. Everyone knows that.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: Yeah, I can remember, like, in 2018.
[00:16:35] Speaker B: Kevin Ray is going to text me right after this and say, yes, he agrees.
[00:16:38] Speaker A: Shout out, kev dog. Hey, dog.
I can remember in 2018 getting into the postseason, I didn't know there was, like, awards or liberal of the year coach. I didn't know any of that. So then Neil got the regional coach of the year, and I was like, oh, man, that's cool. That's so cool. We got the national coach. I was like, that's so cool. And I remember a few days after we got home from nationals thinking, like, that just has to be such a cool feeling, like your players excited for you and people recognizing that you're doing well.
That's so awesome. And thinking like, yay. Yeah, that would feel good. But I just didn't know if I ever really had the desire or if I was going to be in the place in my life to be the head coach.
[00:17:19] Speaker B: Little did we know.
[00:17:21] Speaker A: Yeah.
It's something that I didn't really think about. I didn't want to think about it because I think there's so many other really good coaches out there, and everybody's putting in the same work and same amount of time. But it does feel nice to know that there is that little piece of validation, and it speaks to what you're doing here. Like, all the struggles that we've kind of gone through and all the stress, it is being recognized, and I'm mostly happy for the girls with it, just so they can see, hey, we're moving in the right direction.
[00:17:57] Speaker B: Things are happening.
[00:17:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
So that was really fun. I got my little plaque on my little corner up in admissions.
[00:18:04] Speaker B: On your cubicle?
[00:18:05] Speaker A: My little cubicle. Yeah.
[00:18:07] Speaker B: But, yeah, speaking of with the girls, I mean, just want to talk about some of the girls on our team. It's crazy to think about it because I love stats. Like, I'm a big stats guy, and.
[00:18:17] Speaker A: I love that because I am not a stats person. I hate stats.
[00:18:21] Speaker B: You look at last year's team, our team stats, we were at the bottom of pretty much everything. We had no girls or really. I mean, we only played 16 matches, but there weren't really any girls that had good stats because of just the way things went. And then fast forward to this previous season, I mean, we were pretty much in the top ten ranking in everything. All of a sudden, we had.
Salo was fifth and ended up being fifth in blocks throughout the year. Jenica was second in digs. Caitlin was fifth in kills. Michelle was 9th in assists. Obviously, we said jenica won the libero of the year for the Midwest region.
It's so cool just to see that stark difference. And let's talk a little bit about Caitlin Jenica, the transition Lauren's had to Salah.
[00:19:09] Speaker A: Like, tell us, what do you want to know?
[00:19:12] Speaker B: What do you want the people to know?
[00:19:14] Speaker A: Oh, I don't, um. Yeah, I don't know. Kind of like how we talked a little earlier, a few minutes ago, just, like, on the roles that people fill.
You have ideas in your head of what a lineup is going to look like based on who you have coming, but you don't know until they get here, right? And I think that the lineup we originally put together in the preseason was not what we ended up doing because Emma, she got hurt and she couldn't play. And so we had to last second before our scrimmage, switch everything around. And I did not make it easy. I did not make it easy on them. We talked about the rotation last time I was here, but yeah, no, I think the group that we had and those that you mentioned, they really stepped up into. They stepped up because they all were affected and the whole team was obviously. But Caitlin, it was like, okay, hey, you're going to be outside and now you're going to have like two rotations in the middle and be outside. And hey, jennica, you're going to be ds, but now you're going to be Libero. And hey, Lauren, you're going to be Libero, but now you're going to be dsing in left back and setting and you're going to be hitting maybe some outside everything.
Just like having different people in your space at different times and having more variety is really hard. And so I think it's a testament to those guys, but just the entire team that they trusted each other and they trusted me enough to kind of let us play around with them like that because it ended up working.
[00:20:48] Speaker B: You would have changed the lineup right before the Clark or the Clark KV game.
[00:20:54] Speaker A: I can't remember if we had one practice with it or if we literally had to walk through it and then we just played it.
So, yeah, it was very late, but yeah, no, I think we have a very solid and wide base and core to keep building off of. And I think that really showed in our visit weekend that we had this last weekend, just the way that they carried themselves and the way that they really came around to the girls that were here visiting.
So, yeah, no, I think it just shows.
[00:21:28] Speaker B: Like, I mean, when was the last time we had nine returners? I mean, we're looking at having nine returners for this upcoming year. And that's a lot.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: It's a lot.
I'm just so thankful because I'm like, two years ago, the first year it was, okay, hey, this is like a whole new situation. And then this fall, it was a whole new situation.
[00:21:46] Speaker B: We went from having hard enough time, having six girls on the court, nine.
[00:21:50] Speaker A: Returners, and so next year it's just nice that I can kind of start to think about other things. It's not like, oh, man, if somebody goes down, what are we going to do? If somebody gets sick, what are we going to do? If somebody doesn't get along, what are we going to do? We can just really move forward and yeah, keep looking ahead.
[00:22:07] Speaker B: And it's not like who is actually returning. We know. We know where we're at, and that's so relieving to have.
[00:22:14] Speaker A: Yeah, it's a huge relief.
[00:22:15] Speaker B: It really mean just, we're so thankful for just the success we've had this year. But like you said, the three C's, we're keeping the Christ centered first, and that's just so encouraging. I think it just speaks to where Emmaus athletics is as a whole.
That's what we value and that's what we're emphasizing and praise the Lord that our teams are seeing success with. Keeping that emphasis.
[00:22:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:22:40] Speaker B: But looking ahead, let's talk a little bit about next year. And obviously, when we did this podcast last year, around this time, we know Caitlin had committed by that point, but we already have three girls that have committed for next year. Let's just talk a little about the excitement. Like, holy cow, like the excitement we have for next year. And we thought things looked differently from last year to this year, but things are going to look different next year.
[00:23:06] Speaker A: Yeah. So we had our volleyball visit weekend this past weekend, just like a recruit weekend.
[00:23:11] Speaker B: It was a lot of fun, and.
[00:23:12] Speaker A: It was a lot of fun.
The three girls that are already committed were all there. And so, yeah, it was really good just to see them with the returners and see them together and be in the gym together, and it was fun planning the practice, and I separated the teams and I had this entire sheet of different rotations because we could actually play a real game. It wasn't like, how are we going to play four on four today? How are we going to play five on? It was like, oh, man, we have six on six, and then we have, like seven on seven. Technically, that was in the gym.
[00:23:50] Speaker B: This we haven't had in, like, ever, maybe ever.
[00:23:55] Speaker A: But, yeah, no, the three girls that we have coming with one of them coming next semester, they're all just so great. We love their personalities, we love their hearts. They're all coming here for the right reasons, which is school, and to grow with the Lord and grow in their faith and have good community. And so I'm really thankful for that. Volleyball is just like this awesome added bonus, like, oh, I get to play it also.
[00:24:21] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:24:21] Speaker A: Yeah.
So I think that just brings, like a different, I don't know, I don't love the word vibe, but, like a different vibe to the group versus, I think, coming to a school with the purpose of athletics and then, oh, I guess I'll do my degree in this.
It just brings it.
There's not that level of humility, of just being open to what the Lord brings into your life through the vessel of sport or your teammates or whatever. And the coachability. And so, yeah, I love the three we have coming. They definitely are going to up our level of competitiveness in the gym and on the court in our matches. So we're going to have some good opportunity to compete pretty much every day in practice, which is going to make us better. We've got to just play to be better.
[00:25:11] Speaker B: I think it's exciting because we haven't had that in a long, long time. And just knowing practices are going to be hard, but they're going to be super good and it's going to make each person get better because they're going to have to.
[00:25:24] Speaker A: Yeah. And I'm just having a better ability to make our game schedule a little bit tougher, which is nice, too. So not as much travel, better competition.
[00:25:37] Speaker B: Get those power ratings up?
[00:25:38] Speaker A: Yeah. So, no, I'm really looking forward to it. Still hoping for maybe one or two.
[00:25:43] Speaker B: More, at least if people would read their emails, right?
[00:25:48] Speaker A: No, but, yeah, we feel pretty good about the girls that we have and the ones that we're hoping for. So we're kind of starting to move forward to looking at like 25, 26 and keep her rolling and just be.
[00:26:02] Speaker B: A part of this team, this culture, this culture that represents Christ well, that elevates his love for us, which they show with their love for each other. But also, like you said, being competitive, being committed, and there's so. Oh, man, I know last year we talked about, oh, next year, next year, next year. But it's like, next year, though, it's going to be a fun year.
[00:26:26] Speaker A: Yeah. And I feel like that anticipation, I think it's healthy, but I'm kind of hoping that it levels out eventually so we can just get more year to year consistency. Kind of like a marinatha or like a Bob Jones or like somebody who has traditionally been very good. You kind of know what to expect of them and they know what to expect. And their culture is so deeply rooted. Those are really who I'm looking out at, just down to little details of what are their jerseys, you know them when you see them and how do they carry themselves when they come in the gym just prayerfully getting to a program that we have to play them again, people enjoy to be around, but also equally are kind of like, I.
[00:27:19] Speaker B: Love fellowshipping with them, really.
[00:27:21] Speaker A: I don't want to play them because they're good, but just staying the course and challenging ourselves to keep doing it.
[00:27:30] Speaker B: For the right reasons, keeping the main thing. The main thing.
[00:27:33] Speaker A: Because obviously, I think we can all agree it's just so easily to slip wayside and give into that temptation if we're weak and especially when we're alone. And so I think as long as we really keep it tight and stick together, and for us as a volleyball program, but also just for athletics in general, I just feel like we can.
Eagles just soar. We can soar and, yeah, we can do anything.
So, yeah, I'm just really excited.
[00:28:03] Speaker B: I think my favorite part this year is, especially with the volleyball team, just how involved they are in everything. They're the first ones there doing stuff at the concerts or the other games or sitting with other people in the dining hall, just being there. And I think that's been so encouraging to see that, too.
They love each other. They love one another. They love their classmates.
[00:28:26] Speaker A: Yeah. Got a good group.
[00:28:27] Speaker B: You got a really good group. Really good group.
But, yeah. So we're excited about the outlook of next year, and we're excited because after this, we're going to talk to one of our buddies, our court captain, Lauren Festler. We're going to hear from her experience from this year and just kind know this year to last year, and we're excited about that. So tune in for the interview, and welcome back. We're super excited to have sophomore all around player Lauren Festler out of Hazel Green, Wisconsin, which is like a hop skipping a jump away from Dubuque. But, Lauren, thanks for being on the podcast.
[00:29:07] Speaker C: Yeah, thanks for having me.
[00:29:08] Speaker B: We're excited that you've been on the podcast before. Landon has. Yes. But, Lauren, tell us, what are you studying here at Emmaus?
[00:29:14] Speaker C: I'm studying nursing. I'm a nursing student.
[00:29:16] Speaker B: Nice. What are your goals? Or what do you envision doing after you graduate?
[00:29:20] Speaker C: Honestly, I'm not entirely sure yet.
I'm kind of waiting till clinical is my senior year to see what I like and what I don't like and things like that.
[00:29:31] Speaker B: But, yeah, hopefully second semester clinicals, right?
[00:29:34] Speaker C: Yeah, hopefully.
[00:29:37] Speaker B: Obviously this year to last year. Wow. What a difference. Praise the Lord for that. What are some highlights or some of your favorite moments from this previous season.
[00:29:46] Speaker C: That you can think? Yeah. The first thing that comes to mind for me for a season highlight is definitely beating Marinatha at.
[00:29:57] Speaker B: Not just beating them, but sweeping them.
[00:30:00] Speaker C: Yeah, that was by far, like, the most fun game, I think, that I've played in my whole college career. But, yeah, that was awesome. So much fun.
[00:30:10] Speaker B: And that was so cool. Your dad surprised you. Your sister came up and then so many. We had that whole section of Maya.
[00:30:16] Speaker C: Fans and that was so many parents.
[00:30:18] Speaker B: Awesome.
[00:30:18] Speaker C: It was awesome. Yeah, we definitely had a cheering section, so that was a lot of fun.
And then just in general, I think road trips are always just great team bonding experiences and just getting to know the girls. Like, we had a bunch of freshmen, obviously, we had six freshmen. So just right off the bat, being able to travel so much at the beginning of the season and just get to know them.
[00:30:39] Speaker B: Long road trips.
[00:30:40] Speaker C: Yeah, really long. So that just allowed us to get to know them really well right off the bat, which was really fun.
[00:30:46] Speaker B: And I think people don't realize how fun road trips are.
Preseason is awesome. Where you don't have school, but you have practice in two a days and then team Bonnie. But, like, road trips, that's where the memories happen and that's where you get those lifelong friends, which is so.
[00:31:01] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
[00:31:03] Speaker B: What is something that you really appreciate about coach Hannah these past two years that you've been a part of the program?
[00:31:08] Speaker C: Okay. There's so much. This is a hard question. I mean, it's not a hard question. I could say so much.
[00:31:14] Speaker B: There's so much to.
[00:31:15] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, for sure.
I think the main thing that I appreciate the most is just how right away, when she stepped into the head coaching position, she made it just her primary goal to have a Christ centered culture.
[00:31:31] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:31:32] Speaker C: Which, I mean, you can say that about every coach at Emmaus, but, yeah, I just really appreciate that about her and how she emphasizes that so much right away at the beginning of the season, we have our preseason meetings and all this, and that's just. I mean, she could talk about that for a long, long time, but, yeah, just how she really emphasizes having a Christ centered culture and that is what we're competing for, is to glorify Christ and, yeah, just really focusing on loving your teammates well and how that is such a testimony to other people and, yeah, just her Christ centeredness through coaching.
[00:32:14] Speaker B: I think it's really cool. Obviously, we mainly play christian schools, but there's a lot of times we'll play non christian schools and just being able to exemplify that to them of like, yes, we are different. Yes, we want to be competitive, we want to win, which we were this year, which is really cool to see. You can keep that Christ centeredness first and foremost at top. You can still be pretty good while you're playing. I just love that. That's so important.
I know Emmaus does a really good job with that in all their sports. And it's just so encouraging just to that, keeping the main thing, the main thing and continuing building off of that, which we're super grateful about. But speaking of that growth. Yeah, man, what a difference between this year and last year. What are some major things like you've seen either personal or as a team? Obviously, like last year you were in a different position. You were playing setter, and then this year, with the town that came in, you got moved positions where you kind of played everything, but kind of tell us your thoughts about last year to this year and kind of like that experience of how last year helped with the success that we had this year.
[00:33:16] Speaker C: Yeah, I think a big part of the growth from last year to this year, at the beginning of this season was just knowing that we knew how to win, that we could win. That was a big part of it. Obviously, coming off of last year having no wins, it was rough, but, yeah, I think just learning how to win and knowing, like, having that confidence in ourselves that we could do it. And then just throughout the season, learning more and more to trust each other, whether it's on the court or off the court, just trusting your teammates is such a huge thing.
So, yeah, I think we experienced a lot of growth in that way. And then after we knew we could win, it was just a matter of. Okay, so let's do it. Let's go do it. Yeah, for sure.
[00:34:02] Speaker B: How would you say. I think this is kind of fun for you.
Three of your current teammates and one of your future teammates, you played against them. In high school, you played against Michelle. In high school you played against sale. In high school you played against Brooke. In high school you played against Rachel, who's coming in this upcoming year. Isn't that super fun? Or how is that dynamic of your competitors but now your best friends, your teammates?
[00:34:23] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. I think it's especially that way with Michelle because Brooke and Salah, I played in high school, but not like, on a regular basis. But Michelle was like unity and tri state.
[00:34:34] Speaker B: Yeah, friendly rivals, for sure.
[00:34:37] Speaker C: Yeah, very friendly rivals. So, yeah, it's just crazy. I never thought I would play in college with her, and I think it's just cool to see how God works like that.
[00:34:45] Speaker B: It really is.
[00:34:46] Speaker C: Yeah. It's been so fun. And I feel like we just had, like, a mutual respect for each other throughout high school. We played the same position.
[00:34:55] Speaker B: Obviously.
[00:34:58] Speaker C: I knew she's a great player, she's a great teammate. She always has been. And so I was just super excited to play.
[00:35:05] Speaker B: It was the right move.
[00:35:06] Speaker C: Oh, for sure.
[00:35:06] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely.
[00:35:07] Speaker B: And like what you said, I think it's just so cool, like, looking back and seeing, like, okay, how God moves and how he works things out in the present. You're like, God, I trust you. I just don't know what's going on. And then you're looking back, you're like, man, I'm so thankful for this happened or this didn't happen. It's just like, oh, praise the. Like, it's so great.
Next year, what's something. I mean, we got some. Holy cow. We got some talent coming in next year. Shout out coach Hannah and coach Megan for that. But what are some things you're looking forward to next year to build off know last year to this year and how we can keep going next?
[00:35:42] Speaker C: I mean, we talk a lot about how we're kind of like, this past season was almost like the second year of our rebuilding years.
So I'm just excited to keep moving forward in that and just continue to get more competitive and be able to compete with higher level teams.
We have all this skill coming in which all of us are so excited about.
[00:36:07] Speaker B: I mean, watching that open gym the other night, like, holy cow. Goosebumps.
[00:36:12] Speaker C: I know. It was so much fun just to have like 15 girls in the gym. It was crazy.
[00:36:18] Speaker B: Which we've never like, that's the most we've ever had. And it's so cool. I think twelve was the most we've ever had on an Emma's volleyball team.
[00:36:24] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:36:24] Speaker B: So having 15, it's like what a luxury.
[00:36:27] Speaker C: Yeah, no kidding. We can actually scrimmage six on six, which is so helpful.
[00:36:33] Speaker B: And it's six on six volleyball girls. Not just athletic girls, true volleyball players, which is so cool.
[00:36:42] Speaker C: Yeah. Overall, I'm just really excited.
Ready to. It's weird because I think coach Hannah was kind of saying this, too, how there was probably like a week after the season where I was like, okay.
[00:36:55] Speaker A: I'm a little burnt.
[00:36:56] Speaker C: Like, I could use a break. And then after that it was like, okay, it's go time. Let's get back in the gym.
[00:37:02] Speaker B: It's off season.
[00:37:02] Speaker C: Start working again.
[00:37:03] Speaker B: We're going.
[00:37:05] Speaker C: I think overall, just excitement for the girls who are coming in.
Coach Megan and coach Hannah are really good at recruiting not only great players, but just great people who are just so fun to be on the team.
[00:37:18] Speaker B: That is so important. That's so important.
Last question for you. What kind of growth have you seen? Obviously, like last year, you were the court captain. This year, the court captain taking on that leadership role. Obviously, you guys do like a leadership council buddy system.
How have you seen yourself growing in becoming a leader for this team?
[00:37:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:41] Speaker B: I think team captain, couple captain.
[00:37:45] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:46] Speaker B: You and Landon.
[00:37:47] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness.
I knew you were going to talk all about that.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: Yeah. Your dad's going to punch me after this.
[00:37:52] Speaker C: Yeah, probably again.
I don't know. I think it's been a privilege to be able to be a court captain. And just like with the position of setter, it's just kind of something that comes along with it. You're just kind of almost like the quarterback of the team, and it was weird, or not weird, but just different. Still being in that position as a captain but not in the setting position.
Yeah. I don't know. I think it's a fun thing. I don't know.
[00:38:30] Speaker B: And it's cool. Like, you have such a good group of girls that you're able to lead.
I love this team and just how close they are, how much they love each other, obviously, like you said, how competitive they are, but how much they love the Lord and love each other and are just super supportive and you're always sitting together, which is so encouraging to see that teams love each other, right?
[00:38:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:52] Speaker C: I think that's just a huge part of being, like, a captain or a leader on a team, especially at Emmaus, is just the spiritual side of it and being able to be a spiritual leader, which also Emma Stanley is amazing at. I love Emma Stanley for that reason. She's great at organizing team Devos and Bible studies and things like that. But, yeah, I think a big part of it is just keeping the team centered on Christ, even know things aren't going our way, which you guys did.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: Such an incredible job looking back at last year and just like, that foundation and how it turned into this year and the future, it's just so cool to see that the Lord works out for the good things to happen when you rely on him and trust him and put everything in him.
[00:39:34] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure.
[00:39:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:39:35] Speaker C: I think my freshman year, that really rough year, obviously was super hard in the midst of it, but then after we got out of it, I talked a lot with the coaches about this, too, but how we were really thankful for that season, even though it was really hard and we didn't win any games, but I think we needed that in order to be able to focus so much on our culture like we did.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:39:59] Speaker C: So, yeah, like, looking back, really thankful for it. And now we have great team culture.
[00:40:04] Speaker B: We do. And back to back sportsmanship awards in the conference, which is incredible, which, know, like we said, keeping the main thing the main thing.
[00:40:11] Speaker C: Right.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: And other people are seeing that, and it's just super.
Well, Lauren, we appreciate you being on the podcast and everyone, sophomore all around position player Lauren Fessler. We appreciate you guys, the support this season. The support was amazing.
The future is really bright. It's a great day to be in a Maya seagull, and thank you guys for this episode.
