Mallory Hermanson attends Arizona Lutheran Academy (ALA) and is a member of the AIA's Student SID program. 

It's great to get back to school, right? Whether online or in-person, a lot of students were excited for classes again after Covid-19 left many with a longing to get back to learning. At ALA, we have 88% of our student body on campus, and there are many perks to being back in-person, one of those being extra-curricular sports. 

One of these sports, volleyball, captivates many students at ALA. The gym was bustling during try-outs, so it's not hard to expect that there would be some amazingly talented people on the teams. Our varsity program includes four seniors and seven returning players. Six athletes are new to varsity, including three up-and-coming sophomores. It will certainly be interesting to see how these talents and personalities play out on the court. 

Returning this year to coach varsity volleyball is Coach Brad Bode, who has been coaching volleyball at ALA since 2002. When asked about his team this year, Coach Bode talked about how the main thing that the team has to work on this year is consistency. He hopes that "team leaders set the tone with work ethic, attitude, accepting constructive criticism, and keeping the team encouraged," as well as "striving to be role models on campus and in games."

ALA volleyball is also pleased to welcome a new coach! Miss Jade St Germaine is the new JV and FR/SO volleyball coach. She is a 2020 graduate of Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, and was a three-sport collegiate athlete. When asked about the teams she'd be coaching this year, Miss St Germaine said, "My hope is that they improve every day, and they come to practice and games ready to glorify their Savior."

When asked about the leaders that would shape how the teams function, Miss St Germaine gave the comment, "We talk about the importance of communication, so my leaders will be communicators. I also hope that my leaders will show their competitive spirit and that their teammates will follow that." She also said that consistency and maintaining a high level of play would be key things to work on for the 2020-2021 season. 

After six months of pandemic uncertainty, ALA athletes are thankful to have an opportunity to compete. You'll see the high hopes written on the faces of new and returning coaches and players. There is no doubt that this season of volleyball will be an interesting one.