Team bonding is much more than practice drills and competition on the court for the SRJC women’s volleyball team. This team of eight freshmen and six returning players bonds off the court in the comfort of their homes through dinner parties and group circle appreciation.

With an 8-2 record, the team is expected to have a lot more room to grow as a whole. Players think the two losses are due to a lack of team chemistry.

“The other teams had more experience together playing higher level teams. We are a young team and we have a lot of developing to do throughout the season,” said team captain Kristyn Casalino.

“We are coming along well as a team; most of us were able to work out together during the off season and we immediately came together to be friends,” Casalino said.

A few players joined the squad at the last minute, but the majority knew they wanted to be there from the beginning of the summer.

The players are dedicating their extra time to team bonding events, which gives them an opportunity to understand each other on and off the court.

The team met several times at coach Kelly Wood’s home where the team shared more about themselves outside the realm of volleyball. The girls get together to talk about their short and long term goals, their volleyball dreams and then reflect on each person. They understanding each other on a deeper level will help their performance and desire to win.

“We bond in practice and our coach really encourages us to support other sports teams, which
brings us together,” Captain Morgan Foley said.

The team recently met up for a group breakfast, coordinated by the players through a mass text. “We are a family after all. We spend more time together than we do with our actual families,” said co-captain Brianna Adviento. The team set a goal to take fi rst place in state as they continue the season. The players hope to go up against LA Pierce, a team they see as their biggest competition. The volleyball team has the skill to defeat its Southern California rivals and players are working together to pull all the small stitches together to achieve that.

“We are looking forward to the day we can beat them because we already know what to expect,” Aviento said.

Foley couldn’t agree more. “[Pierce] will not go undefeated this season,” she said.