After a somewhat tumultuous season a year ago, the Fremont varsity volleyball squad looks primed to take a big leap forward this season. The Firebirds retained Head Coach Michelle Wagner for a second season, and this time, she has had the whole offseason knowing it is her program to build.
At this time last year, Wagner was the junior varsity coach and didn’t end up taking over varsity until midway through the season.
“It’s night and day different,” responded coach Wagner on having a whole offseason to prepare with her team. “Last year, I never felt like it was my program. It was not the program I would have created just because every coach has different philosophies and different priorities. But this definitely feels like my culture. The things that are most important to me, things like being a good teammate, work ethic, not laughing after you make a mistake, willing to change fundamentals, those are my priorities.”
Wagner’s squad only lost three seniors from last year’s team and returns a strong core of players who have another year of experience under their belts. Senior Noa Halevy and juniors Zoe Shie and Natalie Escalera are three members of said core who spoke about their excitement heading into the new season.
“I think the intensity is getting far better than last year and we are improving so much,” remarked Halevy on the preparations for next week’s opening match. “We’re hitting the floor with passing and getting the ball over in the right spots.
“It’s a new page, a new season. I definitely feel like we can win more games,” continued Halevy when asked about all the returning players and improving upon last season’s 2-10 record in league. “We can improve as both individuals and as a team for sure.”
Halevy is often seen in the Fremont front row getting key blocks, but in the back row will be Shie, who shines as libero for the Firebirds.
“I think we really like each other. We are developing really well, getting that team connection, that chemistry,” chimed Shie on the preseason practices. “I think the team is doing really well, I really like where we are for the start of the season.”
“Last year it was kind of an abrupt stop to our season when our previous coach left the team,” admitted Shie on the team’s struggles a year ago. “It took us a while to get restarted. But I think this season [coach Wagner] got the engines running really quickly and we’re really fiery and intense. I think this year is going to be fun.”
One of the biggest keys to a fun season for the Firebirds will be the continued development from Escalera, a 6-foot, left-handed, outside hitter. At practice this week, her hitting form allowed her to hammer balls just inside the line with regularity.
“I put in a lot of work in the offseason, getting in the gym and practicing,” noted Escalera on her own improvement from last season. “I can definitely see the impact of the extra work on my game.”
Fremont will start to see if its offseason work as a team has paid off when it opens the season with a home match on Thursday, Aug. 29 against Prospect.
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