By Lazarae Delvalle ’26
The volleyball season for Derby High School started on Aug. 16, and players say the team is improving as the games go on, with a record of 4-6. While the start was tough, confidence and communication started to grow because the players began trusting each other more and learning from early mistakes.
The Red Raiders faced some challenges at the start of the season. They lacked communication and overall teamwork skills. The players explained that some of the early games were tough because they were not as confident, and they would get discouraged when mistakes would happen within the team. “In the first few games, we weren’t really talking much on the court, and it made things harder. Once we started communicating more, everything began to click,” said Skylah Clark ‘27. Watching the games in person, audience members could see the girls’ teamwork strengthen as they began to play more in-sync and support one another on the court.
Since those first few games, the Raiders have slowly shown growth. They picked up a 3-1 win against Oxford and later beat Ansonia 3-0, which the players said gave them more confidence moving forward. Maya Winkowski ‘29 said, “After those wins, we started to feel like we could really compete. We all support each other, and it helps us play better together.” Ava Umpierre ‘27 added, “ I noticed the team improving every week, especially with communication by joking around helps us keep high energy on the court,” and, “If you see someone struggle on the court, by the next play, make sure you reassure them a little bit. Just a pat on the back or some words of encouragement always helps.”
Players said that the effort they put in during practices has carried over into games. Emely Guttara ‘29 explained, “The team has already won most of the games, and we are focused on reaching bigger goals like states or regionals.”
Overall, the team is showing progress and getting stronger as the season continues. The team is focused on finishing strong and reaching their goal to get to the playoffs. The team knows there is more work to do, but they are proud of how far they have come.
The Raider Press 