The walking dead

By Michael Ashcraft --

It's one thing to feel sorry for your opponents. It's another to lower your own level.

Coach Jessica Young found herself scolding her team after Lighthouse Christian Academy played without oomph in the first set against Hillcrest Christian School.

"The first set was like the walking dead," Coach explains. "Very low energy. There's not a lot of motivation when you know you're not going to have competition. I told them to play their game because they need to practice."

Set #1 finished 21-11. But after Coach scolded the girls, they polished off their same-named Saints 25-3 and 25-6.

Historically, Hillcrest has been a formidable rival for Lighthouse in volleyball and especially in football. But lately the Thousand Oaks school has suffered declining enrollments, something LCA knows intimately; it has perennially low student population.

Lighthouse now has 35 students but still forms a caliber team with quality players trained through their middle school and on club teams.

Heeding coach's scoldings, the team raised its energy, doing something never before seen for LCA.

They cheered.

As the first-stringers were pulled off to let second-stringers get experience, they rallied their teammates cheering for aces and kills.

"The starters were cheering for the bench," Young says. "I'm so proud of them for cheering."

It wasn't taunting though.

Lots of teams cheer for side outs etc.

LCA has never done it -- until now under orders to raise their energy level.

Related content: Goofy-footed against Newbury Park, Unwelcome against Glendale Adventist, Lighthouse SEALs against Highland Hall.

About this writer: Michael Ashcraft teaches writing and journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academyof Santa Monica.