Sand Volleyball is a recent addition to the Perry sports program. It is a physically and mentally challenging sport with only two players in the sand at a time. Although it was a different challenge for the team, consisting of many of the girls from the indoor team, they went far. They fought their way to the quarter finals where they played Mountain Point ending their season with a 12-2 record. Now the girls are back this year ready to go even further.

Matea Suan, now a junior, believes they will have a successful season, “For this upcoming season I expect a lot of hard work and hopefully go far into the playoffs.” She continues on by talking about what she is excited about for the upcoming season, “this season will be an opportunity to have fun and enjoy the sport while continuing to make new friendships!”

It is not all fun and games though, senior Alexis Keith makes that clear. “It takes a lot more communication because there are only two players in the sand and that’s so much space to cover.” Beach volleyball is a great way to bond with teammates because you work so close with one another, but that also makes the sport so much more intense.

Fred Mann, who coaches the beach volleyball team as well as indoor volleyball, believes the team will do better this year because, “there are more girls trying out so there will be more competition.” With more girls fighting for a spot this season the Perry team will have more talent and more experience to bring to games, and in sand volleyball, experience is everything. “We work for 15 minutes on skills then the girls actually play, that’s in like a two hour practice, you need experience playing.”

Sand volleyball is also a great way for the players to get more playing time. Coach Mann explains: “Each player has more contact and gets to be involved a little more instead of having six or 12 players on the court at a time.”

Junior Melissa Blockey is looking forward to “hopefully winning state,” and with more girls trying out this year and a great first season, the beach volleyball team is gaining more experience and will continue to expand the program.