Girls’ Volleyball Feeling Excitement of First Season

It is always an exciting time on a school campus when a new sport is added to the roster. The students who are participating feel the rush of establishing a program, while the other students and faculty are anxious to see how the new team performs.

 

This could not be truer for the members of the girls’ volleyball team here at Gill as they embark on their first season.

 

“So many people have been coming up to the team and asking when our first home match is,” said Kiera Murphy ’19. “We are really excited to have everyone come see us play during Homecoming and see the hard work we have put into this season.”

 

The idea of starting the volleyball program gained steam this past spring. Upper School English teacher Mark Signorelli was a former standout player in the sport, and a few of his students expressed interest in creating a volleyball team at Gill.

 

Soon after, the players started holding club practices to gauge commitment and skill level. It became clear that the enthusiasm and potential were there, and plans began taking shape for a JV team in the fall.

 

The volleyball squad began getting ready for the season in mid-August. Edith Brazil ’19 shared, “The first or second practice, coach Signorelli would be spiking the balls to us and it was initially pretty daunting. Now we can keep the ball up on those spikes and can really pass the ball around. It really shows how much this team has improved and it is because everyone is putting in 110% effort.”

 

So far, the Knights have gone up against Immaculate Conception High School, Kent Place School, and Immaculata High School. The squad has claimed one set among the three matches, a solid showing for a team that only a few months ago was an idea in an English classroom. More important, the Knights have laid down the framework for future student-athletes to grow the success of the program.

 

“I would love to see it eventually become a varsity sport,” said Sophia Stil ‘19. “To come back to Gill as an alumna and see the freshmen and underclassmen leading the team in the future would be really rewarding.”