BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
New Bradford High School Varsity Volleyball Coach Jamie Segars has been working to build a relationship with the high school players, but she also helped fifth-grade students interested in playing in middle school a head start with the June 13 Little Sister-Big Sister Volleyball Camp.
“I think it’s really important for them to start early and get exposure,” Segars said.
Camp participants worked on the fundamentals of setting, attacking and serving. The goal was not perfection. Segars told the participants she expected to see them make mistakes, saying, “Mistakes are proof that you’re trying.”
Mistakes can be corrected over time.
“Individual growth is what we look for,” Segars said. “Everyone is win, win, win, and absolutely we want to win, but the biggest win is when you look at all the athletes and let them know and encourage them that they are growing.”
Segars said she saw improvement over the camp’s four hours.
“There’s growth already in just one day,” she said. “Exposing them to these skills is extremely important.”
Participants were also made aware of what will be expected of them if they pursue the sport and want to play at BHS.
“I actually had a conversation with them in the locker room,” Segars said. “I brought them in the locker room and explained to them the vision for the program.”
The “Little Sister-Big Sister” name referred to the fact that participants were learning not just from Segars, but from BHS players, whether it was from one-on-one interactions or watching the BHS players scrimmage.
“Watching them and maybe hoping to be them one day I really think is beneficial,” Segars said. “I know they were excited to watch (BHS players) scrimmage a little bit, even though they were a little rusty.”
As BHS players scrimmaged, Segars pointed out their effort and sportsmanship to camp participants.
“That’s what I want to see right now,” Segars said. “Mirror them.”
Having a youth camp will hopefully benefit the BHS program in the future, but it can also have an effect now. Segars said working the camp builds the confidence of the high school players and gives them a chance to brush up on their skills.
“It brings the high school players, I think, back to basics,” Segars said. “Sometimes we get caught up in the game and being competitive and learning trick plays and things like that, that we do miss those little fundamentals we still need to revisit every now and then.”
The camp was also a good reminder to the high school players that they are serving as role models for the younger girls wanting to play volleyball. That’s why Segars had to take the BHS players aside at one point during the camp when it appeared as if their effort level wasn’t where it needed to be.
“Sometimes on the court, you get in a slump, and you have to regroup,” Segars said. “I was able to regroup my high school girls and say, ‘Listen, our energy level is low. They’re following you. You need to pick this up.’
“They were able to do that.”
