The Trinity volleyball team has implemented a number of practices to shape their team culture into what it is today. Through Head Coach Julie Jenkins, Assistant Coaches Maggi Linker, Brad Bulycz and Marisa Amarino and the players. According to senior libero, Jenna Rodriguez, Trinity volleyball’s culture is strong across classes.
“Buy into our culture and just respect one another. It’s like a family, so treat everyone with respect and usually everybody does.” Rodriguez said. “We all get along, like everybody’s best friends.”
Everyone has a different role on the team according to Rodriguez. Whether that be bringing energy on the sideline or stepping into a new leadership role, it can change depending on the situation. Rodriguez mentioned how the upperclassman handled making a mistake her first year as a libero. She described how her attitude while playing changed as a result.
“The upperclassmen made it a norm that when they made a mistake, nothing happened. They literally looked perfectly fine,” Rodriguez said. “I quickly learned that after a mistake I had to just smile and rub it off. It made me play better and bounce back even faster than I did as an athlete in high school. So showing the freshmen and everybody on the team that I like how to handle mistakes.”
The Tigers always want to “be the better bench,” bringing the most energy from the sideline. Junior right-side hitter Connelley McWilliams talked about how she brings energy and competitiveness.
“I love it when the bench is super loud and I’m on the court, because it brings me energy.” McWilliams said. “We’re gonna out-cheer them, out-energy them. I think bringing our energy is something that we always talk about in our huddles before games, bringing our own energy, without the crowd, without the coaches, just us doing that for each other as a way to show each other how much we love and support each other, no matter who is on or off the court.”
This year, the Tigers made it a goal to understand that they could not succeed without each other. McWilliams said after an individual accomplishes something on the court they will point to the other girls who made it possible.
“If I get a kill, the first thing I do is look at my setter because I could not do what I just did without them,” McWilliams said. “Now every single player is complimenting someone or something that someone else did on the court when the play ends, whether we lost the point or won the point.”
Another practice the team has implemented is choosing a monthly mantra for themselves. McWilliams described one of her past monthly mantras, “I am,” and how it motivated her and other teammates.
“‘I am’ can have any other word or sentence after it. This whole season was about me really bringing a confident energy into myself, and believing that I can do anything on this court,” McWilliams said.
Before she became an assistant coach, Maggi Linker played volleyball at Trinity for Coach Jenkins. Linker talked about the new perspective coaching has brought and how it feels to watch the players grow and change as leaders, players and people.
“It’s the absolute best part of coaching,” Linker said. “I love seeing how our players come in excited for our program, and excited to see the kind of all that they can accomplish, and they leave our program just entirely different leaders.”
Linker also mentioned the importance of making sure the girls still love the reason they all get to play together: volleyball.
“That’s honestly a great thing about Division III sports in general. You get to have a little bit more of a balance and our players get to be involved in other things outside of volleyball. That then allows volleyball to not feel like it’s some kind of job or something that takes up their entire life. It’s just one important part of their life, but it’s not every part of who they are or what they get to do at Trinity.”
Outside of practice and games, the players spend time or live together both on and off campus, something Rodriguez said has strengthened their connection.
“I would say the most important thing about creating that team culture is the bonds you have off the court,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like Coach Jenkins and Coach Maggi do a great job of recruiting, the best people ever. We always joke, ‘How do you make friend groups? You literally made my wedding bridesmaid list.’”
