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In Conway, the Lady Bears volleyball team is having an all-time season.
“I feel like it’s our attitudes. Our attitudes are a lot better this year, and we’re having a lot more fun,” said junior Gibby Beckler.
It’s easy to have fun when you’re having success.
“This group I’ve got now, they’ve been playing together since they were little,” said Head Coach Tammy Beckler.
Now those players are upperclassmen.
They’ve helped Conway reach the program’s highest single-season win total of the last decade.
The Lady Bears have 14 wins heading into Thursday’s match with Ava.
“They’re hungry and they’re ready to see how far they can go,” Tammy said.
The Lady Bears hope to reach the program’s *all-time* single-season record of 21.
“It’s never happened before, so we’re really excited about it,” Gibby said.
With it, they’re searching for a deep playoff run.
“These guys have all started since they were freshmen and now they’re the upperclassmen, and it’s really important now that we kind of reap the benefits of all the time and effort that they’ve put in,” Tammy said.
Gibby has proven to be one of the key leaders of this special Conway group.
She ranks near the top of the list in several key categories for her team, including kills.
“She’s really become a more of an aggressive player and kind of understands a lot more about [how] she’s got to play a bigger role,” Tammy said.
It’s a role Gibby has grown into, transitioning from a setter to a hitter over the past few years.
That growth has come with a bit of a nudge from her coach, and her mom, Tammy.
“She would probably agree, I’m the hardest on her than anybody else,” Tammy said.
Gibby would agree. Sometimes having her mom as her coach isn’t the easiest.
“Um. Long car rides home,” Gibby said with a smile.
But Gibby says it’s helped push her to be a better player, and a better leader.
“Especially in tight situations, I have to bring everybody up so they don’t get down on themselves and then we worry about the next play,” Gibby said.
It’s the type of team-first mentality that makes Tammy smile.
“I am so proud of her,” Tammy said. “I think she wants to be really, really good and she’s started to figure out she’s an important part of our team, and she’s relied upon.”
For that reliability, Gibby Beckler is this week’s Athlete of the Week.
