A bright future ahead for MBL’s youngest team
Without a league and just a junior varsity program a year ago, the Christopher High girls volleyball team spent a lot of its time in the gym practicing.
A match here and there wasn’t enough to quench the Cougars’ competitive thirst.
They had 18 matches last season. As a varsity squad, they will see twice as many in 2010. As far as head coach Sam Navarez and assistant coach Larry Nabzeska are concerned, it’s about time.
“You get tired of just practicing,” said Nabzeska, who has 35 years of head coaching experience on his resume, including a five-year stint at San Benito. “You want to play every now and then.”
Navarez, who has been coaching volleyball in the area for roughly 20 years, refers to last season as one long preseason.
“We are trying to let them know that the varsity level is totally different,” Navarez said. “Talking about it, until they experience it, doesn’t make sense.”
The Cougars have 18 days packed with five preseason contests – and a tournament – before getting their first taste of Monterey Bay League action against Monte Vista Christian on Sept. 21.
“Our goal right now is to truly use the preseason to prepare for league,” Navarez said. “If we are fortunate to do well during preseason and through league, my goal for them is to make playoffs. Anything less would be an insult to them.”
With a 9-1 record, Pajaro Valley ran away with the league title in 2009. Monterey and Watsonville tied for second at 6-4, followed by Seaside, MVC and North Monterey County, respectively. Three different teams have captured the league championship in the last three seasons.
“Looking at the past couple years, it has been up and down,” Navarez said about the state of the MBL being a wide-open league. “It’s hard to tell. I think it’s a league that we can compete in quite well. Hopefully we can rise up with enough preseason experience.
The Cougars will get a sneak peek the the league competition at a tournament hosted by Watsonville next weekend.
There is a definite anticipation for what lies ahead for the Cougars. Junior captain Claudia Ferreira said it can be scary going into a varsity match having never been in that situation before but added that finding trust and comfort within the team will help through trying times.
“We have been forced into this position. We are all babies on this team,” said Ferreira, who is one of two team captains along with junior Paulina Vo-Griffin. “It’s a completely new thing. I feel like we are ready, though. We have clicked as a team.”
The Cougars have added sophomore Juzenne Aban up from the freshman team and sophomore setter Alexandra Gerberick, a transfer from Florida.
“She is going to be a good setter for us,” Navarez said of Gerberick.
In junior Merrett Brown, sophomore Hanna Tabron and freshman Olivia Zertuche, the Cougars have three middle blockers standing at 5-foot-8 and above.
“You can no longer be satisfied with mediocracy,” Navarez said. “You have to look to be more advanced, more succinct all the time.”
CHS got its first taste of varsity action Thursday night against Sequoia High School. Results were not available at press time. However, Ferreira said at practice Wednesday the match would serve as a perfect starting point.
“Because we were all on the team last year, we are all comfortable,” she said. “So I think we will do well.”
