BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — With about an hour remaining before the start of Saturday’s match against Valley View, the Edinburg Vela volleyball team was scrambling around the secondary gym. As one player slid into a prone position on the court, another would pop up and sprint away.
The Lady SaberCats weren’t running through a defensive drill or even working on their conditioning. They were playing a variation of tag.
“It’s not like before the game we’re mad at each other going on the floor. We’re having fun together,” junior Jaida Muhammad said. “This builds us up, so when we get on the floor, we’re cool with each other, excited, and ready to play.”
For a team that entered the season with five returners and eight varsity newcomers, these types of teambuilding exercises have been critical. Players and coach Araceli Ortega say team chemistry has been one of the biggest factors in Vela’s strong season.
At 32-11 and 7-3 in District 31-5A, the Lady SaberCats are well on their way to a third consecutive playoff appearance.
“In the beginning, we were unsure of how we were going to act with each other,” junior Nicole Avelar said. “And toward the end, we just all connected. It was just a big puzzle that came together as a whole.”
Sometimes, that chemistry has been built in unorthodox ways.
On Friday, players stuck Post-its with a celebrity or fictional character written on them to their forehead, then had to guess the identity based on clues from teammates.
On Wednesday, the Lady SaberCats played charades. Another game involves the team locking arms in a circle and trying to pass a hula hoop all the way around without breaking the circle.
“It’s just to remind them of the fun that they want to have in volleyball, and to stay united,” Ortega said. “It’s tough sometimes, because they start spring ball playing together. They’re together for a long period of time. Like sisters, there’s going to be a little bit here and there to get frustrated with one another. It’s good for them to come together.”
Vela has two seniors, nine juniors, one sophomore and one freshman on the roster.
Juniors Muhammad, Avelar and Julissa Cuellar played on varsity last season, as did seniors Rebollar and Nicole Castaneda. With those five returning, the offense was in good hands.
Where the SaberCats needed to find new contributors was on defense. Sophomore Bianca Cortez has stepped up to provide blocks, while freshman Dylann Guerra slid into the libero position. Like the rest of the newcomers, they’ve only grown better with varsity experience.
“I’ve seen them become a lot more confident,” senior Mariely Rebollar said. “Since we had a lot of newcomers, I guess a lot of them were worried or intimidated. But they’ve become a lot more confident. I’m really proud of the team we’ve become.”
Cortez said the transition wasn’t all that tough for the young players. Avelar gave her tips on playing middle blocker, and Ortega showed her how to position herself and read the opposing offense.
Even as the only varsity player in her class, Cortez said she felt she had a decent rapport with the rest of the girls after working with many of them on the junior varsity team and during summer leagues. Being varsity teammates has only taken the process further.
“Chemistry is improved,” Cortez said. “We’re working together as a team now. We have all grown together, and I’ve seen it since last year to this year. We’ve all grown.”
The players and coach Ortega hope another year will make the team even stronger. With just two seniors departing, the Lady SaberCats project to return their top four attackers, plus the team leaders in blocks, digs and assists. The goal of winning a district title is already set.
“We have a bright future in front of us,” Muhammad said. “For next year, I think we’re definitely going to come out with some pretty good fire.”