This year McKinney Christian Academy has numerous student-athletes that play club volleyball outside of school. These student-athletes have up to three practices a week and about ten tournaments throughout the season.  Tryouts to be accepted onto a team begin in July, and there are ten to twelve spots on each team. The season starts in November and ends in May unless they make it to Nationals that is held in late June and the beginning of July. Due to Covid-19, this year has been different from past years. Athletes are required to play in masks and limited spectators at many tournaments and maintain social distancing when possible.
There are many fifth graders playing club volleyball this year. Peyton Post, Bella Goodwin, Brittany Bartoo, Alexis Guerrero, Matina English, Abby Vinciguerra and Bailey Gerardis. Post, Guerrero, and English have played on Team Elite for two years. Vinciguerra, Goodwin amd Bartoo has played at Victory Club Volleyball for two years and Gerardis at Arete for one year. The fifth graders’ favorite part of playing club volleyball is playing in tournaments, passing and hitting. The girls also enjoy making friends with their teammates and playing games with them. These volleyball players will be joining the Middle School volleyball team in the upcoming school year and will make a great addition to the team.

There are three club volleyball players in the Middle School: Kadence Ackmann, Mia Gunn and Brooklyn Claudio. Ackmann plays at Arete and her position is Labero. Gunn is playing at Instinct and her current position is Libero. Brooklyn Claudio plays at Elevate her position middle front. All of these girls will be trying out next year for the Mustang Volleyball team.

In Upper School, there are a total of six club volleyball players. Ava Grace Haggard, Bella Vaught, Dylan Searles, Dani Morales, Kaylin Starling and Sky Miller. These girls give numerous hours on top of school to play volleyball each week. They travel out of state two times a season for tournaments. These tournaments are held in Orlando, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada and many more. Being in high school and playing club ball can be a challenge, but when Morales was asked what motivates her to play club volleyball, she answered, “Playing club volleyball teaches me to be a team player and polishes my skills for school volleyball.” Many club players aim to play in college and continue their athletic careers after high school and the end of the season. After playing club volleyball for many years, Haggard will be attending Baylor University and playing on their volleyball team in 2022.