Both Jr High and Sr High Mansfield Lady Tiger volleyball teams headed north of the Arkansas border to attend the Branson Licking Volleyball Camp in Branson, Missouri. Over a three day period, the girls worked hard and played even harder. After competing against numerous tough teams, the Lady Tigers got to enjoy some much-needed team bonding. The girls got to visit the Dolly Parton Stampede and Branson Landing amongst other things.
Head Coach for the Jr High Lady Tigers, Erica McKay, had this to say about the trip. “We took two teams to the camp. Both teams played 7-8 games. As the camp progressed, each team grew in multiple ways and that’s all you can ask for at the beginning of the season. There will be a few underclassmen that will be able to contribute to the teams’ success and this camp gave the girls a great opportunity to bond and learn how to mesh with one another.”
There were a total of 12 senior high players and four freshmen that attended the volleyball camp. They were separated into varsity and junior varsity teams. There were over 120 other teams from several surrounding states taking part in this camp. Each Lady Tiger team played 11 games within the course of three days.
Sr High Head Coach, Kaylie Pyles filled us in on the Lady Tigers camp play. “Both groups played some very talented teams. We even played Jonesboro, splitting sets with them. Varsity beat Booneville in the opening round of tournament play and then went on to play another very talented team, Blue Eye. We lost in a close match but ended third in our bracket. Junior Varsity fought hard and won two games within their bracket which led them to place first in their tournament play. All of the girls hustled hard and worked together as a team. We competed and fought for every point within every match and never gave up.”
The Lady Tigers have an exciting volleyball season coming up. According to Coach Pyles, Lady Tiger fans have much to expect from the 2019 season. “We have great chemistry on the court, which is very important in volleyball. Our defense is solid and our offense is a threat. It is still early so we have a few things to learn and work on. The girls’ hard work, determination, and love for the game is something fans will be excited to watch this upcoming season. There is a lot of potential for the Lady Tigers!”
