Mamaroneck girls volleyball team building off two successful seasons
MAMARONECK, N.Y. — The Mamaroneck High School Varsity Volleyball team is coming off two very successful consecutive seasons. In 2020, they won both The League Title and The Section Championship. Last year they won The League Title, followed with a crushing loss in the Sectional Championship game. The team has moved on from that loss and is using it as motivation to focus on winning The Section this season.
Seniors Bella Anvar, Grace Autorino, and Harper Chinn talk to us about the team鈥檚 preparation and outlook on the season.
How did you get involved with volleyball?
Bella Anvar: When I was in 5th grade, my mom and I saw a flyer for a volleyball camp that Coach Riter and Coach Yizar were running for the younger girls and from that moment on, I loved volleyball. The camp was so much fun and the next year I did a developmental program at LHVA to get ready for modified!
Grace Autorino: Playing beach volleyball was the highlight of my summers every year since I was little. My older sister was on the team since middle school, and she didn鈥檛 love anything as much as she did volleyball. She raved about how fun the team was and how great coaches were. I knew I wanted to have those same experiences with the sport as she did.
Harper Chinn: I started playing volleyball in 7th grade when I decided to try out for the modified team. Like many of the other girls, it was something new to all of us. Volleyball had high and optimistic energy that attracted us all. Coach Yizar was also my art teacher in elementary school, so I knew that I would be in good hands throughout the program.
What does off-season look like?
All: We have open gyms in the spring, and this past year we began training as a team outside of the open gyms that are provided. Our captain (Bella) set up a great strength and conditioning training program at a local facility. In addition to working out as a team, we are also expected to keep our skills up by playing on a club team or doing local clinics. Once the summer hits we start our 8-week summer workout with full-body at-home workouts and a log where we can write our times for practice of running our mile when we return in the Fall.
What are the goals for the team this year?
Anvar: Go on another ride on the fire truck!
Autorino: The past two years we have won the league title, and I have a lot of confidence in my team that we can do the same this year. Unfortunately, last season we lost to North Rockland in the section championship but I鈥檓 hoping to see them again this year and take back that win.
Chinn: This year our umbrella goal is to win the section championship. While this is the overall goal the more important ones are smaller ones. We have to take every game, scrimmage, and practice seriously to be able to come out on top. Every day we need to be ready to perform our best and help pick up those who are not.
Who are you most excited to play?
Anvar: Either Scarsdale or North Rockland. Scarsdale is a big rival, however, losing to North Rockland last year was crushing. We want an opportunity to play them so we can leave with a different outcome.
Autorino: Scarsdale is an obvious rival for Mamaroneck and the most amazing moment on this team was beating them in the section championship two years ago. It was an amazing thing to be a part of and I think I can speak for the whole team when I say how proud we all were to represent our school and coaches.
Chinn: I am very excited to play Harrison and New Rochelle because I am friends with many players on those teams from the club season and we are all looking forward to playing North Rockland!
What鈥檚 your favorite volleyball memory?
All: The year we beat our rival Scarsdale in the section championship! After our win we got a special ride in the town鈥檚 Firetrucks. It was such a fun day and an amazing experience for everyone, we really celebrated that well deserved win. That season was a turning point in the Mamaroneck Volleyball program. The entire program is just going to keep getting better.
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