On December 9th,The U14 volleyball team hosted Trinity College School in the Hawthorn gym at 3:00 p.m. for their first (and home) game of the Division III league season. This year’s league is played in a home-and-away format, giving teams the chance to compete both on the road and in their own gyms in front of their home crowd.
The team delivered a strong performance, winning in three straight sets:
- Set 1: HAW 25 – LCS 11
- Set 2: HAW 25 – LCS 21
- Set 3: HAW 25 – LCS 18
With a roster of 11 student-athletes from Grades 6–8, this young team showed excellent teamwork, communication, and composure, growing more confident and consistent as the match progressed.
This year CISAA changed the rules for volleyball implementing the fair play rules. Meaning that every player that is registered on the roster of any school team must play at least one full match. The coaches had to adapt and change their strategy this year to ensure we had enough players and a strong team to meet the rules. One of the ways CISSA emphasizes team work and recognition is through the CISAA bracelet exchange. Each team presented bracelets to the other team players who best demonstrated sportsmanship: honesty, respect, kindness, fairness, and improvement on the court. Paola S & Cora H were the players recognized with a bracelet for embodying these values.
Our coaches also celebrated individual growth on the Hawthorn side by awarding Most Improved Player bracelets to Eliza H and Wanyi C for their hard work, progress, and positive attitude throughout the season.
The team was led on court by captain Aila R, with guidance from coaches Olesy Alekseev and Ms. Alfaro, who have been instrumental in building both skills in team leadership and spirit.
This match marks a strong start to the season! The team’s next league game will be another home game on January 13, when Hawthorn hosts St. John’s-Kilmarnock School. We look forward to cheering them on as they continue their league journey🏐🎉
