By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
With the non-district schedule in the rear view, the Del Rio Queens volleyball team is ready to shake off the troubles of its past and tackle a new district season.
Del Rio had its first Tuesday off in about a month to prepare for the start of district Sept. 24 at Laredo LBJ. The Queens ended their non-district schedule Sept. 14 with a three-set loss to Midland Legacy that dropped their overall record to 14-8.
Three big reasons for the team’s success thus far are the Queens’ Guard, a group of experienced players that are usually at the top of the team’s statistical categories such as blocks and kills. That group includes seniors Karolina Alderete and Kylie Ramirez and junior Jazira Cuenca.
All three believe there’s a different attitude among the players on the team this year, and all three understand what lies ahead as the Queens look to not only find success in district this season, but also possibly end a five-year playoff drought.
Ramirez said the Queens’ recent matches against teams from Midland helped set the tone for what Del Rio can expect when it comes to district play.
“It’s given us the experience to see what our competition is really going to be like during district. District’s not easy. It’s very tough. There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into it and having a preseason with teams from San Antonio, San Angelo and a little bit outside of Laredo is really good to get us ready for district and what’s really about to come and these last two Midland games is really what’s going to push us because I think those last two Midland games are the hardest it’s going to get compared to all the other preseason games we did so I think that’s the best choice to give us those Midland teams before we play LBJ next Saturday,” Ramirez said during the team’s Set Off Sunday, Sept. 18.
Cuenca echoed Ramirez’s view, adding that the non-district work has been crucial to the team’s development.
“Since the beginning of the season we’ve had games all the way up to Midland Legacy and I think that’s the one that mostly showed us how district is and to get us ready but I’ve seen a lot of improvement from the beginning to now which I think we’re doing a lot better,” Cuenca said.
Alderete was a little more when it came to discussing this season. As a senior, the reality of a lot of last “firsts,” such as the last, first home match and the last, first district match is beginning to set in.
“I was already pretty sad that this is my first, last district game. I know that I was already sad that this was my first, last home game. Thinking about all the games that are coming up … it’s getting me pretty sad. I’m thinking about senior night. I’m thinking about everything that I thought about last year. I never took it as I did this year. I feel like I took it for granted and I’m pretty sad how it’s going to end soon,” Alderete said. “Still, I’m pretty excited for how the district season will go. This is my last year, also my last preseason, but I feel like all the way leading up to district has led us to bond better and talk to us better and play with each other better.”
Ramirez had a similar outlook.
“It is pretty sad but at times you just want to play and play and try not to be as sad about it. I don’t really get too emotional about it but I think I will once it starts coming closer to the end because I was, like, I have a lot of time. We’re barely in preseason and now we’re about to start district so it’s actually going by faster than I thought. I think it does matter a little bit more than it does to me in past years because in past years I’d always say I have next year. Well, this year I don’t have a next year so every game counts, every match counts, every point counts to me a little bit more this year,” Ramirez said.
Cuenca isn’t in the same situation as her older teammates, but she said she’s learning from them. She said she’ll be ready to lead when she’s called upon next season.
“ I’ve learned to definitely be there for everybody and just get everybody’s energy up and make everybody feel included and not make it seem like we’re two different teams, like seniors and juniors … we’re all one team. We need to be all united because we’re all just one team and we need to get to know each other a lot better. I also learned we have to communicate a lot more and to not take anything for granted, like Karo said, and not wait until my senior year,” Cuenca said.
One of the biggest changes for the Queens this season has been the arrival of new head coach Angelica Rivera. Rivera, who was previously at Del Rio Middle School, was given the task of turning around a program that won just one district match last season.
Rivera’s approach has made believers out of the girls, and has them understanding that it will take all of them pulling together to achieve their goals both on the court and with a fan base that is hoping for a return to the successful years of the past.
“I think the way we’re more involved in the community is the biggest change. There’s more, like, where we get to talk to the people that support us, we get to thank them and being more out there than we were last year. Like more publicity, I guess,” Cuenca said.
“To me, it’s us being able to actually bond together. There are no differences. There is just us playing together,” Alderete said.
“The support system we have heps because I feel that Coach Rivera generally cares about each and everyone of us and that extends to where she gets to know us on a personal level, not just coach and player. She’s doing really good things. She’s pushing us to reach out more on social media and in our community. It’s a really good thing she’s doing. She’s doing great,” Ramirez said.
Like other sports, Del Rio’s volleyball program has succeeded thus far this season due to a strong core of returners that included Alderete and Ramirez, but also Iva Garabedian, Angela Mijares, Syann Casillas, to name a few.
A lot of that experience came from the girls who devoted their youth to playing on travel volleyball teams coached by their parents or people who supported the sport. The Queens’ Guard all played travel volleyball and are quick to explain that their skills grew from not just the extra work, but also from playing a variety of others teams not so close to home.
“I’ve been doing travel since I was in sixth grade and we stopped last year. But I think for younger girls that want to get into it more it’s really helpful and useful because you only have your season during the beginning of the school year and then after that you usually don’t play any more after that so when you get into travel ball you have the opportunity to play against teams that are from a variety of places, not just San Antonio, like you can play in Dallas or Houston and so on. And for the younger girls who wish to do that I think you should totally. It’s a good opportunity and you’ll learn a lot from it,” Ramirez said.
Cuenca seconded Ramirez’s thoughts.
“I’ve been playing volleyball since I was six years old and ever since I’ve been on a travel team. When the season is done and I think it helps me a lot in, like, coming to the Queens. There are a lot more practices that help in getting you better and stronger,” Cuenca said. “I really think if you’re considering doing travel volleyball it’d be really good for your offseason because it has a lot to show you, a lot of skills and adds a lot more practice and conditioning for you. So I think it’s really good to try it out.”
Alderete has also spent her career playing on traveling teams and credits that extra time for improving her overall game.
“Travel ball has taught me a lot of things since I was in first grade. I feel like I’ve been taught a lot from my coaches that I’ve had to know and being able to have those experiences playing with other teams that are not just in Del Rio or not around our area. Being able to play against teams that are bigger has taught me a lot realizing there’s always going to be a hard team but it’s never a time to give up,” Alderete said.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
