By Chris Parker
Fordland volleyball doubled its win total from 2020 with eight wins in 2021.
The Eagles will look to post the program’s first winning record since 2017 behind five returning upperclassmen.
Grace Grandel returns at setter in her senior year. The four-year starter earned all-district honors last year.
“Grace Grandel has been our main setter for the last three years and she has gained a lot of confidence within that role,” Fordland head coach Ronni Cummins said. “This is her senior year, so she has been traveling the country this summer visiting colleges and universities to attend next year. Grace is not only an amazing athlete, but an absolute stand out student in academics.”
Fellow senior Mikah Suter is a left-handed right side hitter and blocker.
“Mikah has a deep drive for competition and loves to succeed in her goals,” Cummins said. “She phased into being a middle hitter last season, which pulled her away from her beloved right side role. However, she will be returning to her favorite place on the court this season, which seems to fit her perfectly. Mikah is not only a volleyball player, but she shines in basketball and softball as well.”
Shelby Thomason, Emma Trotter and Catherine Cline give Fordland a trio of returning juniors.
“Shelby, Emma, and Catherine are all returning for their junior year,” Cummins said. “I have had the honor of being their coach since middle school and I am beyond proud of their development.”
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Thomason will be a middle hitter.
“Shelby Thomason is one of our tallest players, and she thrives in her role as a middle hitter and blocker,” Cummins said. “Shelby has the ability and experience to really amp up our “net game” this season.”
Trotter will be the team’s go-to outside hitter for a third year in a row.
“Emma has gained confidence and she has really been able to show all our players how to overcome difficulty and push through the hard times in order to embrace the team as a whole,” Cummins said. “Emma’s smile can lift the entire team. She is often the loudest one cheering.”
Cline is a key piece of the defense on the back row.
“Catherine is probably one of our quietest players, but she definitely brings a presence to the court,” Cummins said. “She has found her strengths and truly uses them to gently guide the other back row players through tough plays. She is very committed and hardly misses an open gym or team gathering.”
Britton Suter, Kaelie Johnson, Kenadie Johnson, and Lily Kindall are returning sophomore players.
Johnson and Suter have both shown strong off-season improvement.
“Kaelie Johnson and Britton Suter have turned a page from last year, adding weight training to their already busy schedules,” Cummins said. “They are making efforts to be noticed on the court this year. Kaelie is evolving into a very strong middle hitter. Britton has been able to blend so seamlessly with the team in a way that I often overlook labeling her with a specific spot on the floor because she can do them all.”
Kindall is a candidate for a spot at libero.
“Lily has a passion for learning everything that she can to develop her skills,” Cummins said. “She also dabbled in setting part time last season on JV, which I plan to further develop this season. Kindall has found her place as an outstanding athlete within the Fordland School system, much like other members of her family.”
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Addison Neal, Loren Bojko, Hailey Biehl, Taylor Bellue, and Elliana Garber are some of the new freshman players on the team.
“They all have several years of experience in volleyball and they are all going to be great assets to the team,” Cummins said.
The blend of experience and youth will be a strength for Fordland Volleyball this year.
“The biggest strength for our group this year is a fresh outlook from new players paired with upperclassmen experience,” Cummins said. “This dynamic will benefit us greatly in the coming season. We have so much potential for our entire team. I have never had so many fantastic players on one court. The girls have an impressive ability to overlook their differences off the court and embrace their individual talents on the court. Within the last year our school has developed a very beneficial weight training program that many of the volleyball girls have been able to benefit from. Along with weights, many of our girls train for cross country, which gives them an insane range of abilities and strengths. Their confidence and passion will carry us through this season.”
Fordland opens the regular season on Aug. 26 at home against Hurley.
“Last year became a growth year for all of us. The girls and I learned how to work together as a unit and bring the team up positively,” Cummins said. “This year we will be building on that goal, adding in some defensive work and narrowing down on our serving and defense. We have a phenomenal group of girls, and I am very proud to be part of their team this season. We have steadily increased our record over the last two years, and I intend to guide this one on the same track always growing and improving.”
