Northwest Yeshiva High School’s volleyball team is back.
After a year without the sport, the NYHS girls knew they had to do something to revive it. Last year, former coach Michelle Pearce left the school unexpectedly and there were not enough girls who signed up. The absence of a team left a void in their school community, and they missed the competition and teamwork.
“We went to the head staff and made sure that we would have a coach and a real team this year,” Keira Birk, captain of the volleyball team, says.
Many players, both new and returning, were eager for the team to get back on the court. The volleyball team had games four to five times a week, and practices occasionally taking place on the weekends.
Audrey Scrafford coached the team this year, and she brought new energy and structure to the program.
“She focuses on each person specifically and she makes sure we get down a skill well before we move on,” Gabby Russ, a freshman on the team, said.
Scrafford did not respond to requests for comment from the Mane Idea.
Despite a season of tough losses, the team was determined to end on a high note as they kept fighting for that first win.
“We aren’t doing the greatest this season, but we’re doing the best we can with a young team,” Birk said.
With each game, the volleyball team’s performance climbed, scoring at least four more points than the last. The NYHS community has been keeping a close eye on the volleyball team as they continued to rise through the ranks.
“I like watching everybody work together on the court and supporting my friends,” Elie Harel, a freshman at NYHS and fan of the team, says. “You can tell they’ve been working hard.”
Though the team faced challenges early on, like getting back into a rhythm after a year off, their progress remained steady.
In their second to last game, the volleyball team celebrated its first win at the Seattle Hebrew Academy by winning all three sets. Senior Night took place right before the game. It was a special event recognizing the girls’ achievements. NYHS English teacher Marcy Park, who is from Hawai’i, continued her tradition of making a lei for each senior. The win stood as a final goodbye to Birk, the captain and only senior on the team.
“Although we had a rough season, this win makes me hopeful for the upcoming seasons knowing that we are able to win,” Maytal Rosenfeld, a freshman on the team, said.
In the end, they wrapped up the season with a 1-12 record to build on for next year.
