ARCANUM – Four Cross County Conference volleyball teams are getting ready for the upcoming season together with a summer league at Arcanum.
The high school teams from Arcanum, Bradford, Franklin Monroe and Newton get together each Tuesday night in June for a summer league in Arcanum.
“It’s fun,” Franklin Monroe volleyball coach Angie Filbrun said. “The girls they know each other from each school so it’s kind of a fun night to get to play against their friends and a little competition, too.”
A pair of varsity matches are concurrently played in the high school gymnasium while junior varsity teams play in the elementary gymnasium.
“We’re just trying to get ready for the season, trying to be successful this year just like we were last year,” Arcanum volleyball coach Macey O’Dell said.
The Trojans currently have one setter injured, which has caused them to try a new offense this summer that they might use this fall.
“It’s been new to my team running a 5-1,” O’Dell said. “We’ve been doing really well at it so I like it. We’re just working on perfecting everybody’s skills, getting them ready for the season.”
For Franklin Monroe, the summer months provide an opportunity for team bonding, Filbrun said.
“Working together, becoming more of a team, getting to know each other, where they like their sets, you know where we want to put the ball and just working more together,” she said of her goals for the summer. “They’re a good group of girls. Good team bonding. They love to play together. When they have fun, they play well.”
Bradford has a new varsity coach, Holly Beam, who spent the past four years with Tri-Village. With new leadership, the summer sessions provide valuable time for Beam and her players to get to know each other.
“With me not knowing any of the girls or any of their previous volleyball experience and on the flip side them not knowing me and my volleyball experience, it’s kind of just getting to know one another,” she said. “Getting to know them, their personalities and what works with them and flip side for them, them getting to know me and right now we’re just building that bond and building the trust.”
Along with becoming acquainted, Beam hopes this summer provides an opportunity for the Railroaders to develop a new approach to the game.
“Mainly just learning a new attitude towards volleyball,” she said. “They haven’t really had the best of seasons in the last couple of years, and I’m trying to get them motivated to put in the work and explaining to them that I am willing to work hard and to be here for you if you’re willing to be here for me.”
