GD: What position do you play?

VM: I play as a middle blocker. The job of the middle blocker is basically trying to prevent the hitters on the other side from successfully smashing the ball on our side. I generally stay in the middle, and when the setter sets the ball to a hitter, I block on that side along with another blocker. The middle blocker sets up a strong defense for the team. 

GD: How do you think you guys did this season?

VM: We did pretty well. We had lots of fun, but we could have done better. In some of the close games we had, we just gave up at the end. If we consistently played strong in all of our games, our games would have been much better. 

GD: What do you think you improved on in this season?

VM: Throughout my practices and games, I noticed that my serving, hitting, and blocking generally improved. In the games, my serving was got more consistent and gave our team more points. My hitting also grew more strategic as I learned to hit the ball left and right to confuse the other team. And I also noticed that I blocked more balls or prevented the other teams from getting straight shots more often. 

GD: How do you think your team improved throughout the year? 

VM: Our coach had two rules: to talk and to have fun. I noticed that as the season went on, we started talking more during games and we began to trust each other more often. When the ball comes over the net, we all know where our place is and whose ball it’s supposed to be. Our cooperation has grown since we first started.

GD: What can you personally improve on?

VM: There is a type of serve that I am working on called a curve serve. Generally, to serve a ball, there are different types of spin, and the most common is topspin. When I hit the ball with a curve, the ball goes sideways and it confuses the other players. 

GD: What do you look forward to next year?

VM: I want to face stronger teams. Even though our season has ended, next year I want to have better challenges and be on a more advanced team. Varsity is where all the fun is, and I don’t want to miss it.