Last year’s Class AAA State Consolation Champions returned to the court this week to begin their 2024 season, with high hopes to carry over last year’s success into a new season.
This year, the team motto is “Progress over Perfection” for the Thunderhawks as they seek to get a little better every single day throughout the long season.
“Progress over perfection. Love that,” says head coach Rebekah Sutherland, who says the varsity players choose their motto on the first day of practice each season. She feels this year’s motto is especially fitting.
“We have a lot of perfectionists on our team and this is a great reminder that in the sport of volleyball, you can’t be a perfectionist because every point is based on an error.”
The team will sorely miss Braya LaPlant, a Thunderhawks volleyball record-holder now suiting up for St. Cloud State. A 2023 Ms. Baden finalist and All-State selection, it’s not easy to replace the quality of player that LaPlant was for Grand Rapids, but senior Annika Grose is up to the task as the team’s new setter.
“Annika Grose is ready to step up and be our setter,” said Sutherland. “She knows she has big shoes to fill for Braya LaPlant, but she’s ready!”
Grose is not the only player ready to make noise for this Thunderhawks team in 2024.
Record-holder Lainie Barrick returns for the Thunderhawks, ready to fortify the middle of the defense once again.
“Lainie Barrick, Middle hitter, is returning as a junior,” explained Sutherland. “She broke our career blocking record last year and is a force out of the middle.”
Adrienne Venditto and Colby LaPlant also return and are ready to control the outside halves of the court.
“Adrienne Venditto, an outside hitter, is returning after a lot of work during the offseason. Colby LaPlant is a junior outside hitter returning as well,” added Sutherland.
And then they have Hannah Clark, a 10th-grader ready to frustrate opposing offenses with her defensive prowess.
“We also have sophomore Hannah Clark, a defensive specialist, who is one of the most aggressive defenders in the gym,” Sutherland said.
There’s no doubt Grand Rapids has the pieces to stack wins again after going 22-10 last year, as long as they stick to their game plans throughout the season.
“We focus a lot on serving and passing. If we can serve and hit targets we can keep teams out of system, and if we pass well we will be in system, making our defense a lot easier,” she said.
Sutherland says she wants the players to take ownership of the team - to “take charge and control their side of the court,” and as long as they do that, there’s no reason for Grand Rapids to take a step back after the success they had last season, and that’s what the volleyball coaching staff is looking for: Progress over Perfection.
If they want the winning to continue, they know they will have to work for it.
“Put in the work to get 1% better every day, to support one another while also competing with each other, to push each other to improve, to also take younger players under their wings and inspire them to keep working hard and improving.”
The Grand Rapids volleyball team is in Hermantown Wednesday this week, before heading out to North Branch next Tuesday.
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