07/07/2006

Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump
Kayla Johnson of team Six Pack spikes the ball during the team’s match against the TC Spikers in the Teen Volleyball Tournament on Thursday during the National Cherry Festival.

Teens hit sand in a heated volleyball game

BY MAUREEN STYCH

Special to the Record-Eagle

TRAVERSE CITY — The sun beat down on the West End Beach volleyball courts while six girls took the sand.

"I just want to start playing," said Emma Berger of team Six Pack to teammate Kayla Johnson on Thursday. "When do we play, captain?"

Six Pack, a team of cheerful sophomores from Traverse City Central High School, have played volleyball together since seventh grade. They decided to put a team together to be part of the first teen activities volleyball tournament at the National Cherry Festival and also to have some fun during the off-season.

"We're just getting outdoors and hanging out at the Cherry Festival," said Johnson, captain of the team.

"We thought it'd be a fun experience and fun to get out and do."

The girls had to adapt to a different playing surface because most of them had only played indoor volleyball. Sand is a softer surface to dive on to, but "playing on sand is different because you sink in," Mariah Sika said.

Kat Phillips, director of teen activities, said 10 teams signed up to compete and were separated into two pools of five teams.

After a warm-up, the girls prepared to face the TC Spikers, their first competitors in the 12-15 age group pool.

Although they were determined to win the first place prize of $100, the team cracked jokes and stayed relaxed in between competition.

"We've got a very interesting group," Johnson said as she laughed at her teammates who danced along to music. "We're rambunctious and phat — with a p-h."

Six Pack's players have shared courts before. They shared high-fives after they won a point and gave each other constructive criticism and words of encouragement.

With some diving saves by Hayley Engle and some insurance points from Sika after a serving streak, the girls came away with a 21-18 victory against the Spikers.

"Man, we got lucky that game. Guys, we weren't even playing," Berger said to her teammates.

With three more games in the pool play, the girls decided to put more focus into their serves and set up more three-hit plays.

"We've got to play our game," Johnson said.

The ladies were eliminated after losing their to a team named Mixed Nuts.