Seniors Juliana Kargol, Bailey Hartford, and sophomore Ella Buchanan take a congratulatory picture after winning the John Riding Memorial Hard Driven tournament. Photo courtesy of sophomore Ella Buchanan.
The SLOHS volleyball program has many star athletes who have gained many accomplishments throughout their seasons. While every single player in the program is exceptional, some of the players, like Bailey Hartford, Jules Kargol, and Ella Buchanan, have really broken the barrier. Jules Kargol leads the team in assists, Bailey Hartford is second in kills, second in digs, and best serve receive passer, while Ella Buchanan leads the team in kills, digs, and aces. These athletes aren’t just talented because of great stats; they are also great teammates and help drive the team to success.
Expressions decided to interview these players. Recognizing their leadership skills that help connect the team as one.
Expressions: How do the players and the coaches help bring the best out of you on and off the court?
Senior Jules Kargol: We are all just really supportive of each other, and we’ve taken the time to really get to know each other, and what each of us needs to, like, hype each other up and, like, keep it like, support us throughout the games and keep us accountable.
Sophomore Ella Buchanan: My coaches always push me to become better and always give a hundred percent. They always help me remember to focus on the things that I can control,like effort and attitude.
Senior Bailey Hartford: They’re super supportive towards each other, hype each other up, just you have a good connection with each other, which makes it a lot of fun.
Expressions: How are you able to help be a leader on the team?
Kargol: Kind of going off of what I said earlier, just knowing what everyone needs specifically, like what I can hype someone up, how or what I can say to make them forget about their mistakes, and just move forward, and also just keep the team energetic and just play for each other.
Buchanan: I am able to be a leader on the team because I encourage my teammates and help them remember to stay calm under pressure.
Hartford: I get to support one another. Like, if somebody’s down, I get to cheer them up and, like, make sure that they’re okay and help them to keep playing.
Expressions: How do you stay motivated through games and practices, and how do you help keep the team motivated?
Kargol: I think we just have to keep the mindset of what our goal is and what we’re working towards. We’ve been working for so long, and just keeping that in mind just really helps motivate us in pushing towards our goals.
Buchanan: I stay motivated because I love this sport [Volleyball] and want to get better every time I step on the court. Sometimes it is hard to stay motivated when I am tired and busy but my love for volleyball makes me want to keep going and compete at a high level.
Hartford: The team motivates me very well. I keep myself motivated by just forgetting the mistakes I made and just moving on. And then if somebody on the team makes a mistake, I make sure I go talk to them and tell them it’s okay.
As SLOHS volleyball ends their season, working hard and playing their best, they’re driven by a strong connection between teammates and leadership. These three athletes helped lead the team and inspired other players to reach their goals on and off the court, helping every player in the program succeed.
