The West volleyball team has gotten a new look this season. The team has gotten off to a strong start under new head coach Jaedynn Evans, winning 14 out of 18 games, including notable victories over North Scott and Bettendorf. They are currently ranked fourth in Class 5A. With two freshmen and two transfers in the starting lineup, the team has had to establish a new rhythm and identity. The transfers, sophomores Izzie McDonald and Taylor Otte, are joined by promising freshmen Cyan Blommer and Josie Austen.
Blommer has been a double threat on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court, posting a team-leading 149 kills along with 165 digs. She has been playing volleyball for years, including with the Iowa United volleyball club, and cites her experience as her reason for success.
“I’ve played club [volleyball] for such a long time, since I was 11, so that’s helped me to be where I am,” Blommer said.
At the other end of the net, Josie Austen has gotten off to a strong start in her first season as the starting opposite hitter, recording 52 kills in 18 matches. Austen has been playing since the age of six, and she also plays for Iowa United.
While both Blommer and Austen agreed that club and school volleyball have their differences, they agree that their club experiences have made them ready for high school volleyball, as they attend larger tournaments and increasingly high-stakes competitions.
“I’d say club [prepared me the most], because it’s been going to Nationals and tournaments like that,” Austen said.
However, coming straight out of middle school and directly into the starting lineup can create pressure for freshmen. With a year of new classes, teachers and coaches it can be hard to adjust to all the change. Austen resonates with this and explains how she navigates this pressure.
“I’ve trained a lot, going to [open] gyms whenever I can, not trying to skip practice and just getting the best I can.”
There is also a stark difference between the environments of middle school teams and high school teams. Middle school volleyball includes A, B and C teams. These labels aren’t as pressuring as varsity can be. With grade differences, there can be people up to four years older than you, which can be very intimidating. In middle school, volleyball is centered around your grade and people your age, while in high school, it varies. Varsity volleyball also sees a lot more visitors, as Austen notes.
“In high school, it’s a lot of pressure, because you play in front of more people and student sections. And with teams that have crazy student sections, they can get loud,” Austen said.
Even though the team hasn’t had long to work together and build team chemistry, Blommer praises how close the team has gotten in a short time.
“I think that it’s a lot more welcoming. People don’t close off into little groups —we are all together. Obviously, people are friends with certain people, but we’re all really close,” Blommer said.
