Girls' Volleyball

Happy fall sports season! One of the most popular here at West is Girls Volleyball. There is such a strong girls' volleyball program consisting of Modified, JV, and Varsity teams. All of the teams had exciting and competitive seasons. With the season nearing the end, here’s a reflection on how the players have done these past three months.

For starters, the modified team is pretty evenly matched this year but the girls are still working hard and staying tough. They’re not done yet! The girls even took a trip to the University at Buffalo campus with their coach Mr. Bryan Burhans to watch a good game of college volleyball. The UB Girls team is always inspiring to watch and Coach Burhans believes it elevates the girls' love and appreciation for the sport while offering the perfect opportunity for some team bonding.

Up next, the JV team, coached by Miss Abby Booth had a fantastic season this year, ending with an impressive record of 15-1. With an almost undefeated season, the whole team was ecstatic but crushed by their tough loss to Grand Island during their last game. The last match was close though with a score of two sets to one and the final game even going up to 23 to 25 points. The intense competition and teamwork on this team are so inspiring and a great way to prepare them to move up into Varsity spots next year.

And of course, our Varsity volleyball team this year was successful once again. Although the season did not go as planned for the team, everyone still made sure to have lots of fun on and off the court. The girls and their coach Ms. Brittany Lis put hours of hard work into each practice to make the team the best version of themselves. From early on, the team had an unbreakable bond and there was a spark that allowed them all to see what they were capable of. Even if their stats didn't reflect it this year, everyone should be very proud of what they were able to accomplish and the foundation that they've laid for next year. At this point, the girls are fearlessly entering playoffs this week, but they won’t forget where they started. They will be channeling positive energy these next few weeks as they strive to work their way up the league’s bracket. Like Coach Britt said at their 2-week point, “Each player on the team brings something different to the table and we are working on finding out how to best bring all of our strengths together. Our potential is waiting to be released and I’m excited to see our level of play when everything clicks!” Everyone is using what they can bring to the table to help them to finish strong this year. 

Along with all the work the girls have put into their individual performances, games, and practices, it’s also great when they can come together to achieve something magical. As October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, the JV and Varsity girls had their annual Dig Pink game where they raised money for cancer research. The girls played an intense game against our cross-town rivals Kenmore East and were able to raise $5,000 to donate to Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In addition to the fun pink palooza event, the girls also just celebrated Senior Night where they congratulated the six graduating volleyball girls this year. The underclassmen decorated the gym and prepared speeches to thank the teammates they will miss next year and wish them good luck in their endeavors after high school.

In conclusion, for the Modified and Varsity teams, it’s not over yet, but as the season comes to an end for the Ken West Volleyball girls this year, be sure to wish them all luck. And, start to think about how fall means more to some people than just a season or time of year. It could be a sport or their whole world. Make sure you check in next year for the next season of volleyball! See you then!