Get to know the Lake Oconee Academy volleyball team
GREENSBORO, Ga. — A Q&A with the Lake Oconee Academy volleyball (LOA VB) team.
When was this team first formed?
LOA VB: The LOA volleyball team was formed by Erin Schubach-Keith, a former teacher at the school about 8 years ago. It was a JV team in the first couple of years.
As athletes, what are some rules the team lives by?
LOA VB: The most important value of our team is servant leadership. Our captains are assigned the jobs that are usually designated for freshmen. We believe that it is an honor to do the most important jobs every day at practice and when we travel to away games. No one on the team is elevated to a position above any others. We are here to serve each other as a family.
How would you describe this team?
LOA VB: This team loves each other. From the 6th graders that play in our intramural league to the senior captains, we promote a culture of family. Everyone is equally important. We compete with each other, and we can be extremely aggressive at times. However, when the final whistle blows, everyone supports each other no matter what. We do not accept anything less.
What makes this team unique?
LOA VB: This team improved more than any other in the program’s history from the beginning of the season to the end. There were two starters that had never touched a volleyball before this season. We had two other players that had very limited playing time in the past. By the end of the season, we could compete with anyone in the state. We finished 8-2 in our last 10 games, only losing to two Final Four AA teams.
What is your coach like?
LOA VB: Our coach is all in. He pushes us very hard but always focuses on making it fun for us. He leads with his heart and shows his passion openly. He becomes a second dad for almost everyone that plays for him. His dedication to the program and to our players has grown LOA volleyball into a large program in a very small school. We love playing for him!
What are some of the team鈥檚 training routines?
LOA VB: Our team started off-season strength and conditioning last February. We joked that we worked out like the football team because Coach Ingle is a former football player and coach. It was a grind! This year, he focused on agility and vertical jump training because we knew that we would have to out hustle other teams because we did not have a lot of height. At practice, we have routines that we do almost every day. We try to master serving and passing as they are the most important parts of winning volleyball.
What are some of the team鈥檚 greatest accomplishments?
LOA VB: Our team鈥檚 greatest accomplishment was how much we grew throughout this season. We went from a struggling team early that had a lot of ups and downs due to inexperience to the best team that we have had by the end of the season. This showed in our dominating win in the Sweet Sixteen that sent us to our school鈥檚 first ever Elite 8 in volleyball.
What does the team hope to accomplish in the coming year?
LOA VB: We hope to continue to build on the foundation that has been built. We have lost some of the best players in school history, but we have most of the team returning. We will work hard again this off season, and our goals will be high.
What’s the team’s favorite pregame song to listen to?
LOA VB: This year, we adopted Thunderstruck by AC/DC as our pregame hype song. The song that was most special to us though was Don鈥檛 Stop Believing by Journey. Coach Ingle literally played it during the last five minutes of practice all season. That song will always bring back the best memories of our special team.
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