Faith Academy volleyball begins most demanding schedule in program history
CAPTION: Natalie Weems and the Lady Flames will play several matches the first week of the 2023 season. Photo by Stennis Shotts
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls volleyball team is embarking on its most ambitious schedule yet — 40 matches in 2023.
Nine will be played in five days beginning with a road trip to San Antonio Lutheran Tuesday, Aug. 8, with the junior varsity playing at 5 p.m. and the varsity following. Then the Lady Flames hit the road to Fort Worth for the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ Spikedown Tournament where they will be one of 57 teams.
“They have that because you get better the more games you play,” head coach Erin Sawyer said.
At the Spikedown Tournament, the Lady Flames are in pool D with Arlington Grace Prep Academy, Bellville Faith Academy, Fort Worth Nazarene Christian Academy, Irvine The Highlands, Katy Faith West, San Antonio Lutheran and Spring Providence Classical. Teams will play contests Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 10-12.
“My hope is we play well and play hard against other TAPPS teams,” Sawyer said. “(Athletic director Zakk) Revelle and I were talking about tournaments. I wanted to get into a tournament that was three days. We researched and found it. It’s a big tournament. We thought it would be good.”
Four teams will play three matches in the morning of the first day, while the other four play that afternoon. Records determine what happens next.
“It’s very hard to replicate the intensity of a match during practice,” the coach said. “The best way to get match ready is to play.”
The other part of the schedule that Sawyer likes is the amount of time for team building away from the court.
“I wanted to have multiple nights where we’re looking out for each other,” she said. “I had a coach say that ‘family multiplies joy and divides the burden.’ I want to create a good camaraderie and team atmosphere.”
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