Don’t aspire to be the best in the team. Aspire to be the best for the team. The Lady Cougars volleyball team has a new mantra for their 2018-2019 season.

A summer after the program’s Regional Semifinalist title, the JV girls have one shared goal: become District Champions. Their coach Jenna Allaman already has a plan on how to accomplish it.

“Win. Win everything,” Allaman said. “It would be awesome to be district champs, especially because a lot of the girls last year got to experience it. So I know they have that expectation again.”

This season’s roster features a variety of ages and skill levels, from freshmen to juniors. Players have had to quickly get to know each other over these past few weeks, but they do have one thing in common.

“For JV we have a mix of kids,” Allaman said. “We have kids from other schools and it’s hard not not knowing every single kid when they come in. [But] the girls are so funny, they’re always laughing and make me laugh. We’re just trying to really focus on what our strengths are, seeing where everyone should go.”

Finding their new spots for this season came easier to some than others, as junior co-captain Molly McCluskey found out. While McCluskey has made the difficult transition from front row to back row, her leadership philosophy comes naturally to her.

“I am playing libero this year, which is new because for the last two years I played [as a] middle,” McCluskey said. “This position is important because without a good pass we can’t set or hit. [But] as team captain I think a big thing is leadership and encouragement. When everyone is down it’s my job to pick them back up and to keep the team in check.”

New to the sub-varsity team this year is McCluskey’s sophomore co-captain, Cameron Griffin. With her previous experience as Freshman co-captain, she was unanimously voted for by her teammates.  

“As a team captain I have to make sure everyone is focused,” Griffin said. “Everyone is doing what they need to be doing. Molly has helped me get everyone on the same page.”

Coaches and players alike do appear to be on the same page. When asked what message they would give their future competitors this season, Coach Allaman and McCluskey both gave similar fighting words.  

“I would tell the other teams to be prepared cause we won’t go down without a fight,” McCluskey said.

You can see the sub-varsity team take on the Oilers at Pearland today, at 5:30 and play Clear Falls on September 5th at 4:30 in their home gym.

“[We] know how to lighten it up but can definitely come and fight back into it though,” Allaman said. “Don’t hit to libero. She’s going to dig.”