From Practice to Playoffs

The Polson High School girls’ volleyball team is made waves this season, climbing to 9th place out of 56 teams in Montana through dedication, teamwork, and a strong drive to improve both on and off the court. 

Josie Henriksen, the only senior on the varsity team, has been playing volleyball since seventh grade as the middle hitter and the right side. She said, “I’ve improved by showing up to open gyms and camps and putting in work in the off season.” This helped her earn her spot on varsity. 

Another player, sophomore Anniston Flynn, plays the position of defensive specialist. She mentioned that a way the team improved their skills was by staying on task and focusing on what the coaches said to them during practices and games. She stated, “During games we tend to have a slow start, so if we just start off strong then I feel like we have a better chance of staying up in the game.”

One of our most memorable games was our pink-out game against Browning. This game was aimed to help bring awareness to breast cancer and all of the women who are fighting against it. To do this, the volleyball teams, on both sides all wore pink, as well as the student section to show their support.

When the girls first came out on the court in their pink uniforms, it was clear that they were ready to give it their all, winning us the first point. The girls consistently talked and worked together, putting the game and their teammates first, helping pave the way to our victory.

The head volleyball coach Lizzy Cox has been coaching the team for eight years. Cox herself played volleyball, at Eastern Washington University for the Eagles. While living in Austria, she also couched a club in Liechtenstein. She is happy with the team’s season, saying “We have some great girls, girls that really care about each other and really care about the team and putting the team first above playing time or the position they want to play.”

On November 6, the team traveled to Libby to compete in the divisional tournament. Overall, their hard work paid off for a third place finish at divisionals, sending them off to state.