What began as an idea this spring turned into more than many could have ever imagined when the Kosciusko volleyball program secured a berth in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs in the Lady Whippets’ inaugural season.
Kosciusko’s season came to an end last Wednesday as Greenwood defeated the Lady Whippets 3-0 in the postseason opening round. Despite the outcome, Kosciusko coach Lauren Peresich said the memory will always rank high for her.
“It was really awesome,” Peresich said. “Four months ago, they didn’t even know how to play. Now, they know the game, and they’re pretty good at it. They have no reason to be upset. They did really well and had a really good season.”
Kosciusko finished the year 8-6 overall and 4-2 in Region 4-4A contests.
While the wins, the playoff berth and the growth of her players can all be counted as memorable, Peresich said she takes delight in an achievement her players accomplished off the volleyball court.
“Most of the highlights weren’t even game-related for me,” she said. “It was seeing these girls who otherwise didn’t know each other really well come together, be a team, and make new friends. Them just learning the sport together.”
Players who did not know each other at the start of the year turned into friends who spent the majority of their free time with each other. While volleyball served as their introduction, genuine bonds were forged over the year.
“It makes me happy to know that if it wasn’t for this team, they might not even have gotten to hang out and know each other,” Peresich said.
With just two seniors on the roster, Kosciusko returns an experienced, playoff-tested team next season. Peresich purposely played many young players this year in the hopes of them receiving varsity reps. That experience will prove beneficial next season when the Lady Whippets return to the court for their second season.
“We’re a really young team,” Pereisch said. “So hopefully, as we grow, we can still see that talent next year.”
