By Quinlan Gray ’25
This year, Derby High School girls volleyball is currently competing in their second season of being classified as a varsity sport. All of the girls have been working hard and improving their skills since July in hopes to make the state tournament this fall. With each game, the girls are getting closer and closer to reaching this goal as their wins are starting to add up! Let’s take a look into what has been going on thus far in the season from the coaches, the team, and the crowd members.
After completing the first half of the season, the Raiders are currently 5-8 after winning their most recent games. As the second half of the season begins, the girls hope to take home some more wins. When speaking with team members; Captain Brianna Kling ‘25, Varsity Starter Shea Gray ‘27, Varsity Starter Skylah Clarke ‘28, and Coach Tara Dering, there are a lot of good things expressed about the DHS girls volleyball team. Dering says, “There is no question that the DHS Volleyball team has grown and improved a significant amount… this year, the skill level on the court is at a much higher level and it shows because they have beaten teams that they lost to last season.” Varsity starter S. Gray says, “We are doing a lot better this season, people are more prepared than last year, we are not as nervous either.” This season, it is clear that the girls have been working hard and even winning against teams they lost to last year, all while limiting the nerves they had previously felt. Captain Kling also shares, “As far as volleyball skills go, they [the team] have improved in all areas… they have shown they are able to keep their composure under pressure and come back from big deficits to win games.”
The players and coach were also asked about the goals the team has for the remainder of the season. Dering shares, “One major goal we have as a team is to make the state tournament. As a second year team, it would be a huge accomplishment for the girls. Another goal that they have already started to accomplish, was for younger players to start stepping up into a leadership role. Our captains, Brianna and Quin, do a great job setting an example for them and we have seen the underclassmen getting vocal on the court and stepping up in a big way.” Kling also says, “There’s been a lot of leadership development. Notably, Shea and Melanie, both underclassmen who have taken a larger role in leadership on the court. And Sasha has been doing a good job being a leader during the JV games. Having people who played last year who are now acting as leaders is great for our newer players who are still learning.” Hearing how both upperclassmen and underclassmen are working together and creating the communication needed on the court is refreshing and quite an achievement for a second year team.
Regulars in the audience, Mac Gray ‘27 and Joel Capelle ‘27 gave some insight on what the typical game is like for the viewers. After asking both M. Gray and Capelle, they shared similar answers. M. Gray says, “It [cheering] really creates a great atmosphere for not just us, but also the team and I think it really makes them [the team] want to do better for the whole school community.” While Capelle says, “My favorite part is when all of the kids and people are cheering and chanting in between sets, having a fun environment really helps all of the energy develop so it can be a supportive environment for the team.” As a big part of volleyball is communication and cheering, the crowd members definitely help the team to feel confident and comfortable when playing while also bringing the fun feeling to the overall atmosphere of the gym. Speaking on this, Clarke tells us that as a first year varsity starter she was, “…nervous at first, but as the game went on I felt better out there,” and a big part of that confidence comes from the crowd just coming out and supporting the girls.
Oct. 21, 2024 DHS volleyball held their senior night against Ansonia. There was an amazing turn out and the girls played a great game and as M. Gray says, “…the love comes full circle, just like a volleyball!”
The Raider Press 