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Sorority influence helps club volleyball |
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Thursday, 15 November 2007 |
by ASHLEY DAVIS
Sports Reporter
When you hear the word sorority, you don’t always picture a group of highly competitive volleyball players.
However, some of the women on the Appalachian State University club volleyball team are out to break stereotypes, and win some tournaments in the process.
“Every single person that I meet is surprised when I say I’m in a sorority,” junior Lindsey Chatfield said. “I don’t feel like I have to prove anything though.”
The women’s team finished its fall semester strong with a second-place
finish in the West Conference Tournament, which was held in Boone this
past weekend.
 Brianna Brown (l) and Hayley Oliver are both in sororities and on the club volleyball team. They must balance practice and games with commitments to their sorority functions. Photo by Bryan Tarnowski
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“We have had an amazing first half of the year,” senior Hayley Oliver
said. “We have three great new freshmen players. They have clicked so
well, and I really can’t be more proud.”
Oliver, who has played with the club team since her freshman year, has
been sidelined this season due to a knee injury. In her free time,
Oliver has been serving as a coaching utility for the team.
“I personally can’t wait for January practices already,” Oliver said.
“It’s really exciting to think about getting back out on the court with
the other girls.”
With membership rising, the club volleyball team was forced to create four teams this year.
Of the four teams, the gold, or most competitive team, has 12 players, seven of which are involved with a sorority.
“Even though I am in a sorority, I’m still really close with the girls
on the team that aren’t,” Chatfield said. “Two of my best friends on
the team aren’t in a sorority. All of us are close; we don’t separate
based on who’s Greek.”
Juggling the two commitments can often interfere. According to the girls involved, however, it is all about priorities.
“I missed my junior formal to play in a tournament at the University of
Georgia,” Oliver said. “Everyone is very understanding and willing to
work with you, and I’ve really appreciated that.”
Being so involved on campus puts an extra pressure on the girls, but
some of them seem to thrive under the stress. “The more things I’m
involved with, the better I feel like I can focus,” freshman Brianna
Brown said.
Five of the women on the team are members of the Alpha Delta Pi
sorority, one is a member of Delta Zeta, and Brown recently joined
Kappa Delta.
“I feel like I have fit in really well because everyone on the team was
really close,” Brown said. “The captains have made sure that everyone
is happy and has a positive attitude because all of that shows on the
court.”
The women’s team is very focused on a strong bond between the players.
“My favorite part is the team itself. Winning is fun but when you play
well together as a team, [it] makes you realize that the other girls
really mean something to you.” Oliver said. “I know a lot of the other
teams don’t travel and stay together, so my favorite part is the team
camaraderie and the amount of time we can spend together, and how alike
we are.”
The girls’ chemistry off the court reflects their performance on the court as well.
ASU women’s club volleyball garnered three second-place tournament
finishes this season, including one in Maryland, and a final four
finish at Georgia Southern University.
Hoping to build on the foundation of camaraderie the team has formed,
the girls hope to return next semester as a forceful contender for the
conference title.
Oliver and teammate Caroline House both won North Carolina volleyball
state championships for their respective high schools in 2003, yet both
of them find themselves playing for ASU’s club team instead of varsity.
“A lot of us got together and thought about trying out,” Oliver said.
“But we decided that we didn’t want to leave each other behind. We
wanted to stay on club and play all four years together. These girls
are my best friends and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”
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