By Chris Parker
Parkview will be a young team coming off back-to-back one-win campaigns.
Erykah Lee will be the team’s lone senior coming off an honorable mention all-conference selection last season. She enters her second season on varsity.
“Erykah has become one of my leaders on the court for all three teams,” Parkview head coach Amber Doolittle said. “She has improved so much for us as a right back passer, who sometimes will have to play left back or even front row. We had to play her in a few positions that she normally did not play during our previous season, but she went out there and gave it her all.”
Junior Annika Giles will be another leader for the team. She plays left front and left back.
“Annika pushes herself to be better, which spreads to the rest of the team,” Doolittle said. “She is an aggressive hitter for us, and one of our top hitters for front and back row.”
Sara Tubbs (sophomore defensive specialist), Jaide Generette (sophomore MH/MB) and Lillian Williams (junior setter) will be three newcomers to the varsity lineup.
Doolittle on Tubbs: “She played mostly JV last season but saw a little of varsity. She will be a starter for us this upcoming season. Sara is a player who will go to the gym, and work on a skill that she wants to improve on. If she is not able to go to the gym, she will practice at home. She is a fearless passer who is not afraid to go after the ball. We have seen a lot of improvement from Sara in only a year. She is somebody who is competitive and wants to win, and will motivate her teammates in practice and games.”
Doolittle on Generette: “Last year Jaida played mostly freshman (team) but saw playing time with JV towards the end of the season. She has impressed the coaches with her improvement as a hitter and blocker from last season to now. She has been committed to summer workouts, and it has helped her gain confidence for varsity.”
Doolittle on Williams: “Lillian is a player that every coach would want on their team. She is a positive leader on and off the court. When we ask for something to get done, she is the first to volunteer. This will be her third year playing, and each year we see her improve. This summer, we have seen her gain her confidence as a setter for the team and it’s amazing to see.”
This year’s team will have a good chemistry both on and off the court.
“Our biggest strength this year will be that we get along not only on the court, but also off,” Doolittle said. “Each of them pushes themselves as individuals but also each other. Players will tell us all the time how they went to a gym with another teammate and worked on a certain skill together. They have shown us that they want to be better this upcoming season.”
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Parkview will host a jamboree with Republic, Fair Grove and Rogersville before opening the regular season on Aug. 26 at the Branson Invitational.
“We have players on the team that will make a big impact for our program,” Doolittle said. “Our expectations for the players are to always play and practice with heart. No matter what the score is, you continue to play your/our game and finish with no regrets.”
