Girls’ volleyball has been firing this season. With only two loses the team has defeated opponents with poise and focus. While fans cheer for the girls on the court, few see the effort behind the scenes. We sat down with girls’ volleyball coach, Jason Young to discuss his passion for the sport, how he incorporates that into his coaching style, and his thoughts on the season.
With new additions to the team and eight seniors stepping into leadership roles, Coach Young said that the team has had to “battle more” this season than in the past. Young made it clear that preparation is the key to his team’s success. Starting in practices he says that when the team feels more prepared, they are more confident while playing and in themselves.
“[We try] to make sure we’re prepared for a lot of different scenarios,” Jason Young said. “So that when we get in those scenarios, we are calm and at our best.”
With his evolved coaching style, Young has seen the benefits of listening to his athletes about their performance in games and practices.
“I really rely on my leadership group to help guide what we need at the time,” Young said. “Last week, [October 2] was a tough match at Noblesville, the players came to me and said they needed a day off.”
Hearing feedback from his players allows Young to give them the healthiest and most productive experience as possible.
Beyond volleyball, young hopes that his students will carry on their competitiveness in any future profession. He hopes his players know that if they put their mind to something they can achieve whatever they want.
Aside from the students, Young has his own involvement to worry about. He expressed that the team has taught him to take matches one at a time and focus on what is in front of them rather than ahead of them. In the heat of the moment young says he reminds himself that it is just a game, and it is supposed to be fun, while enjoying the moment so he can show up for the team in the best possible way.
He shared a special moment this season. During a game at Crown Point, the game was interrupted by a fire drill. Waiting outside like everyone else the team was able to rise above and pass the time by playing a match by the river. The girls even extended the invitation to 5 other schools and together they created blended teams with varying schools playing together. This moment young said was very special.
“They are still kids,” Young said. “They are still enjoying themselves; they are still having fun; they are finding ways to have fun in any scenario.”
