This season, the Wright City volleyball team returns to the court with a wealth of experience and improved skills.
“So many girls have improved and it’s going to be fun to …
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This season, the Wright City volleyball team returns to the court with a wealth of experience and improved skills.
“So many girls have improved and it’s going to be fun to watch everybody’s skills come together,” junior Marli Burkhardt said. “Our playing has improved, our hits, passes, digs, hustle – I’m excited to see how it looks all put together.”
Junior Jaiden Walch agreed, adding, “We have a stacked hitting team this year.”
After a 2024 season that ended with just three wins, the Wildcats returned nearly their entire roster, having graduated only one player. With at least one year of experience under their belts, the team is optimistic.
“We want to be more successful in our outcome on the court. We had a lot of talent last year but we didn’t quite see that through,” Wright City coach Shannon Bunch said. “This year, all of them have had another year of experience so I think we have really good opportunities.” The Wildcats added two more players to the varsity lineup, bringing the total to 12. Most of last year’s roster consisted of underclassmen, and Bunch said their development has shown – especially in terms of maturity and leadership.
“Claire Williams has a lot to uphold being the only senior on the team and she’s already stepped into her role as a leader,” Bunch said. “(Walch) has shown a lot of growth over the last year and she’s coming into that leadership role as well.”
Walch added this year’s team has a solid chemistry and foundation.
“We’re all really close and we’re all around the same age, so our team is very together,” Walch said.
Bunch noted her team’s heart has been a driving force.
“They have this drive to want to win, they’re at open gyms and practices all the time and they’re ready to work on time,” Bunch said. Burkhardt added that team energy will be key to their success this season.
“I want to keep the energy up. I think that’s one thing that took us down last year, so I want to keep up the energy and put faith in each other,” Burkhardt said.
While the team is certainly aiming for more wins, Bunch emphasized that growth isn’t only measured by the scoreboard.
“I expect that we’re going to grow on the court and we should be showing that this year, not just with wins, but how we communicate and work together as one,” Bunch said.
Wright City will start its season at 6 p.m. on Sept. 2 against Chamois at home.
