Marble Falls volleyball league reveals the traits coaches want to see

The Marble Falls June Volleyball League ended June 29, and few people felt better about the last several weeks than Lady Mustangs head coach Kait Goertz.

That’s because she could see her players improve in the key areas she was examining. And they weren’t all based on their footwork, passing and ending rallies. Goertz made it clear from the start she wanted to see her how her players interacted with each other, how they encouraged and corrected one another, and how they got along.

“Especially the last two weeks, I felt like we started finding the chemistry I’ve been pushing for,” she said. “We started having the communication. They were making plays that happen when you have good chemistry.”

And trust, she added.

“I definitely saw it,” she said. “There was a point where they just became harmonious. They felt comfortable with each other and someone was going to have their backs. You could see it in their play.”

She was most interested in seeing the leadership in her juniors and her seniors exhibit the calling that comes with being veterans.

“I definitely saw my seniors step up and not take control but be involved with it all,” she said. “They’d come to me after games and tell me what needs to be improved. It’s exciting for me.”

The coach noted the Lady Mustangs are no longer simply playing; they are now thinking through matchups, rotations and how to put themselves in position to be successful, which is a process that took several seasons of the players and coach working together. The best part for Goertz? The players are telling her where they need to improve, which are matching what the coach sees, too.

“They’re understanding the game more,” she said. “That’s huge. I don’t feel like in past years, we had that ability. My seniors understand and see the stuff that in team huddles after a point, they’re talking about. During a timeout, I don’t have to spend a lot of time on that.”

The Lady Mustangs begin fall training camp Aug. 1 and have their first match Aug. 9. District 24-4A play begins Sept. 23 at Jarrell High School.

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