By Jace Riley
THE ROUNDUP 

After their 32-9-2 season last year, the volleyball team prepares for a new season.

Head coach Mr. Tony Oldani said that team chemistry is a big focus for this year’s group.

“I think the most important thing for our staff is getting them to understand the love they     have to have for their teammates in order to be successful,” Mr. Oldani said.

Senior William “Billy” Andrew ’14 said he knows firsthand how the team chemistry can affect the team.

“I’ve seen teams with a lot of talent but for some reason just don’t gel the right way and they just fall, crash and burn,” Andrew said. “I think chemistry is a huge part of it.”

Along with the team’s chemistry, they are trying to follow the phrase “play like a girl,” according to Andrew.

While that usually has a negative connotation, in men’s volleyball it is a compliment if you play to the caliber of many successful female programs.

“We’ve seen a commitment to playing defense better…to having better ball control ,which are two characteristics of the girls’ game,” Mr. Oldani said.

According to Andrew, this approach has been talked about at the practices and is something he wants to works on.

Ball control is something freshman Connor Nagaki ’17 says is a big difference in male and female volleyball.

“Usually guys we just try to swing as hard as we can…we usually end up hitting it out,” Nagaki said. “Girls tend to be a lot smarter…the girls are really graceful at it.”

As the season approaches, they hope to go for the state championship which Andrew and Nagaki think they have a shot at.

“We always want to win state,” Andrew said. “This year I think we’ve got a shot at it.”