JV Volleyball Learning to Trust Each Other

The Chatham junior varsity volleyball team spent practice Wednesday fine-tuning its communication skills in hopes of a successful fall season, which opens Friday against Hanover Park High School at 5:30 p.m.

The team enters the season with a roster full of youth, with just two juniors, four sophomores and six freshmen.

"I think one of our biggest [concerns] is communication," head coach Anna Chasnakova said. "A lot of these girls haven't played with one another, so a lot of them are getting used to playing with one another."

Junior Elke Luria is one of the lone upperclassmen on the roster. As one of three team captains, she is responsible for helping to get the team to work together.

"The main thing is just trying to get to know everyone else on the team and start learning to trust each other," Luria said.

She said that the team has improved since the preseason. "Things have gotten a lot better, but we still have a long way to go."                

Chatham looks to start the season off on the right foot on Friday. The game is considered to be a "personal rivalry" game for Chasnakova, due to her previous coaching affiliations with some players from the team.  

"A couple of girls I coached are on that team, so it's a personal rivalry for me, but I feel every single game we play should be treated as the team we're gunning for," she said.