Volleyball is a niche sport. It lacks the international acclaim of soccer or basketball, and few play it competitively. However, in recent years, volleyball’s popularity has spiked, and so too has the number of people who play it. One glance into the school courtyard reveals numerous circles of friends bumping around a volleyball. This is in stark contrast to a few years ago when, if you mentioned the sport to someone, few would know what you were talking about.
For those unsure of the rules, volleyball is a sport in which two opposing teams on opposite sides of a net try to keep a ball from touching the floor on their side. And, like this up-and-coming sport’s rapid ascent into renown, this school’s junior varsity volleyball team is full of talented players, brimming with potential and rising with the sport itself.
Analia Fermin Osorio
A sophomore, this is Analia’s second year playing setter on the JV team. She is currently one of the team’s captains. She has been playing volleyball for four years and has played for both Westchester Pride Volleyball Club and Kratos Volleyball Academy. She is 5 feet tall. “Progressively improving with each other and growing as a family is really fun,” she said.
Briana Gomez
Briana, a sophomore, plays right-side (officially known as opposite) and has been playing for four years. She currently plays for Pride. She is 5-foot-4 and loves how fast-paced volleyball is. She has a sister and a cat.
Elizabeth Salera
Elizabeth is a sophomore and another one of the team’s captains. She plays right-side and can hit with both her right and left hands. “My goal is to become ambidextrous by the end of the season,” she said.
She is 5-foot-2 and has been playing for four years. Her favorite part of the game is meeting new people and making new friends. “It’s amazing how close the team gets throughout the season,” she said.
She considers volleyball a side quest and softball her main hustle, but loves them both anyway.
Grace Delgado
A freshman outside, Grace stands at 5-foot-6½. She plays for Pride and has been playing for four years. Her favorite part of volleyball is the people you meet.
“It’s easier to make friends with people when you’re playing the same sport and have something in common,” she said.
Her dream is to go to medical school. She asks you to follow her on TikTok (@gracedoesitbetter) and to say hi if you see her in the hallway.
Heidi Perez
Heidi is also a freshman outside and has been playing for two years. She currently plays for Kratos. Her favorite part of volleyball is getting digs.
Jane Mitschele
Jane is a freshman and a middle blocker. She is 5-foot-5 and the shortest middle on JV. She has been playing volleyball for two years. In her free time, she enjoys reading, singing and practicing musical theater. Her favorite thing about volleyball is that it is a team sport and that every win or loss is completely dependent on how well the team works together.
Kate Moore
Kate is also a freshman middle blocker and stands at 5-foot-9. She has been playing volleyball for three years and currently plays for Pride. Her favorite parts of volleyball are blocking and hitting. In her free time, Kate enjoys skiing at Killington, Vermont, and spending time with her family.
Katie Menjivar
Katie is a sophomore and a libero. This is her first year on the JV team, though she has been playing for three years. She is 4-foot-11. She loves the intensity of games and the competitive nature of the sport. Her favorite season is fall and her favorite color is sage green.
Keala Nichols
Keala is a sophomore middle blocker and this is her first year on the JV team. She is 5-foot-6 and has played for Pride. Her favorite part of the sport is simply playing it!
Layla Muniz
A sophomore, Layla stands at 5-foot-7 and is one of the team’s captains and a senior middle blocker. She plays for Pride and has been playing for three years. Her favorite part of the game is having fun and winning—hopefully at the same time.
Marina Chavez
A first-year libero, Marina has been playing for four years and currently plays for Kratos. Her favorite part of the game is going to tournaments. She has previously played all positions in a single season.
Samantha Chavez
A freshman, Samantha plays outside and has been playing volleyball for Kratos for four years. She claims to be 6-foot-7, although this has not been confirmed.
“It has been confirmed,” she commented.
Saniyah Stevens
A freshman and one of the only lefties on the team, Saniyah brings a powerful addition to the right side. She is 5-foot-4½. She has been playing volleyball for three years and has attended a multitude of clinics. Her favorite things about volleyball are the competitiveness and the skill required to play. Outside of volleyball, she likes to sing, dance and play football. She is the oldest child in her family.
Zaylee Hilario
Zaylee is a freshman outside and stands at 5-foot-4. Her favorite part of volleyball is her teammates, and her favorite color is purple.
Zutmy Yallercco
Zutmy, a freshman outside, stands at 5-foot-4 and has been playing volleyball for Pride for five years. Her favorite part of volleyball is playing with her friends. She is an only child.
Jaielle Hooper
Jaielle is a junior middle blocker. She has been playing volleyball for three years and stands at 5-foot-9. She has played for Park Forest Volleyball. She regards volleyball as something that keeps her calm and grounded.
“It gives me something to focus on,” she said.
Leila Rodgers
Leila is a freshman setter who has been playing for three years. She stands at 5-foot-3¾ and currently plays for Lower Hudson Volleyball Association. Her favorite part of the game is the satisfaction of watching someone slam down a perfect set.
This season, the current JV volleyball team’s record is five wins and eight losses, many of them hard-fought battles. Given the improvement in the team, the second half of this season is looking promising. While an influx of new talent enabled this strong performance, new coaching has also certainly played a part.
This year’s JV coach, Nicholas Bratberg, said, “They’re doing amazing, and we’ve grown tremendously from the first day of tryouts to where we are today. Every player is improving day in and day out.”
More broadly, he said, “As a first-year volleyball coach, I think this is a great program.”
He also commended Coach Mack and Coach Roesseler: “I think they have made this a fantastic program from modified all the way up,” he said, “I’m just grateful to be a part of the team.”
Coach Nick’s coaching philosophy offers an insightful glimpse into the future of volleyball at WPHS.
“I think my coaching philosophy is to teach a sport and to teach important lessons through the sport that players can use and implement in the outside world,” he said.
All in all, the future of volleyball at WPHS is bright, and seeing what the next few years will bring for the White Plains volleyball team is something we can all look forward to.