By Nasro Araye
Managing Editor
The 2018 RCTC volleyball team is aiming for the perfect conference season.
†The team has won third place at the 2014 National Championship and won the 2015 National Champions.
This season, the team has moved up from eighth place to fourth place in the national rankings. Their main goal this season is to make nationals and have an undefeated conference season.†
The volleyball team consists of three sophomores and 10 freshmen. The volleyball team has had one of the toughest non-conference schedules. They have played all top nationally ranked Division II teams.†
So far, only one of their losses of the season has been to a Division III team and the rest to nationally ranked teams in Division II.†
Coach Amber Zitzow teaches them to put themselves in those stressful situations so later on during the season they are able to respond to those situations.†
That had taught them to hash things out within themselves and not to take anything personally. After a game, they would come to each other and talk to one another to help better each other.†
This close-knitted team has set goals for themselves back in August and their coach has held them accountable so that they can achieve those goals. Because they are able to come to each other about anything, they have built a bond that helps when they are out in the game.†
ìItís important to have those relationships outside of the gym, Zitzow said. ìOur culture in the gym is very demanding at times. I am sure the ladies feel like they cannot do anything right. The standards are huge.î†
On the court, the team encourages each other to not give up and preaches one point at a time. When asked how she is feeling about all this hard work being put in, Zitzow says that she feels great that the hard work is paying off.†
ìItís about them and not me. I am just the one holding them accountable and teaching them how to be a great student, athlete, and teammate,î she said.†