GRANGER High School volleyball team is fortunate to have players like Fane Maafu (10), Julia Taula (11), and Vanessa Mejbon (11).  They’re always leading the team to victory. Mejon has been playing volleyball since she was in the 5th grade, back in her home country in the Marshallese. She came to America just five months ago and is still getting used to the change. One thing that she says won’t change is the game of volleyball.

“Volleyball is my passion I love being on a team with other great players, and having an experiences that I couldn’t have back home,” Mejbon said. Playing with the team is special to her and  means a lot to her to have a team that she can call family.

“I am responsible for playing back center when I’m on the court, but when I go to practice I try to be there for my teammates to help each other be a better team,” Mejbon said. Playing a sport requires some support, and her uncle and aunt have been there to support her through everything.

“The feeling I get from winning a game is like getting start A’s on my report card you so happy for yourself, and the people around you that helped you through it,” Mejbon said. The captains on the team are expected to have the players ready and prepared for a game. “I am one of four captains on the team and my coach expects me to make sure the team is ready to go,” Julia Taula (11) said.

Playing time is one thing everyone wants, but there are are only so many people that can go on the court at a time, meaning not all the girls will get playing time. When the volleyball players get the chance to be on the court, they want to give it all they’ve got so they could go back in or even start.

Some of the girls on the team have been playing club volleyball for a awhile and now are playing high school volleyball, and even hope to play volleyball in college. “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was in the 8th grade and played club volleyball for 5 years, I love the sport it is my passion and dream to play when I’m in college,” Taula said.

The volleyball team have experienced wins and losses, but nothing is like winning to a rival team such as Hunter. The girls won their first game to them and couldn’t feel any better, but the losses are what really determined how players could get better the next time.

“Winning a game is obviously a good thing, but if it really isn’t hard work and a easy win it kinda feels like a loss in a way. When we do lose it makes us even wanna come back harder and try hard the next time around,” Fane Maafu (11) said. The girls volleyball team is overall a great team and a great representation of what a team should be.