Merely having enjoyable was recipe for achievement with Cheboygan volleyball

Back in August, I made my approach into certainly one of Cheboygan volleyball’s first practices of the season.

Seeing the same old suspects I’ve lined in previous years – Tessa Lake, Presley Chamberlain, Olivia Patrick, Makaela Steiner – the temper was good, the vibes have been good, and the vitality was excessive. I do know every of them, however I actually wished to see their new coach – former Cheboygan participant Jordan Barrette – and the way issues have been going within the opening phases.

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Right from the beginning, you may see a way of pleasure with all of the gamers, from the No. 1 star on down. It was simply a feel-good surroundings that’s all the time nice to see.

From that day on till Thursday’s district title match with the excellent Ogemaw Heights Falcons, their constructive, upbeat mentality by no means wavered even after struggling a heartbreaking defeat at residence.

From the primary match till the final, the Chiefs performed with pleasure, pleasure and depth right through, one thing you don’t all the time see with applications. Most of all, they performed a sport they’ve all the time cherished and had a blast doing it. In a day and age when profitable generally appears to be the one factor that issues, the Chiefs received, however they did so whereas enjoying for one another.

Just as they’ve performed all season, the Chiefs gave it every little thing.  

But this time, the opponent was too powerful to beat.  

“It was dig-or-die for them,” Barrette mentioned of her group. “I know my seniors are sad, and I am very sad about losing that group, but they are going out on a high. They accomplished a lot, and I think most of them are able to say that they had fun and got to play volleyball with their friends. That was a big goal this year – play volleyball with your friends.” 

Barrette was spot on along with her evaluation and it confirmed on the court docket, because the Chiefs completed with a formidable 29 wins, took second solely behind Kingsley in a tough Northern Shores Conference, opened their season by profitable an invitational title, after which wrapped up their weekend event marketing campaign with a championship. That’s loads of profitable however having fun with the sport performed an enormous position in every of these wins, and loads of credit score should go to Barrette and her workers for instilling the precise mindset from the beginning.

Players don’t all the time get alongside, however these Chiefs definitely did.  

But it wasn’t simply group success Cheboygan had.  

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Three Cheboygan seniors picked up milestones throughout the journey, together with Chamberlain, who reached 1,000 profession digs, Steiner, who surpassed 2,000 profession assists, and Lake, who hit 500 profession kills throughout final Wednesday’s regional semifinal win over Grayling. Sophomore Diem Schley additionally reached 500 kills and shall be one of many leaders within the applications over the following couple seasons. Those gamers have been wonderful, however we additionally shouldn’t overlook the influence of Patrick, Abi Babcock, and Kyleigh Burt, who all performed key senior roles in Cheboygan’s 29-win fall.  

Even with all six seniors exiting this system, the Chiefs could possibly be on a path to a profitable future, particularly with Schley, juniors Maddie Long, Mackenzie Stockman, and sophomore Sophia Naden – who even noticed some key enjoying time within the district last – main the best way.

Success is nice, however so is having enjoyable enjoying the game. In Year 1, Barrette succeeded in each departments, together with constructing a profitable mentality, which ought to bode nicely within the coming years.

“It was everything I wanted,” Barrette mentioned. “It was a joy because the girls showed up with such intensity and such energy to practice every day, they were ready to play, and they were excited about it. They just wanted to play volleyball and get better, and to coach a group of athletes that want to be better and want to win and have the drive, and they’re all a family. They like each other. I’m just coming off the season excited, and there’s more to come.

“It’s not the end; we’re just getting started.” 

Contact sports activities editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, previously generally known as Twitter @sportsCDT