For the past twenty-five years, the Hollis Brookline Girls Varsity Volleyball Team has received the New Hampshire Volleyball Club Association (NHVCA), also known as the Team Academic Award. This award is very special for the team, and it means that they have the highest grade point average (GPA) out of all the other Division 1 Girls Varsity Volleyball Teams. The Girl’s Varsity Volleyball Team has been the recipient of this award ever since the Volleyball Program started at Hollis Brookline High School. The players know and value that the level of academic excellence needed to receive this award has become an expectation of the team, rather than a dream that cannot be accomplished. The girls last season 2023-2024, are now finally receiving their academic award this 2024.
During this present November at the Lawrence Barn, the girls will receive this award for their academic excellence. They will be awarded for all their hard work they pursued throughout last season and this season. To the players and Coach Rebecca Balfour, this recognition is a huge deal, becoming part of the HB volleyball culture.
Being on varsity for every sport is such a big commitment. To two-year varsity player Shelby Klaassens, she comments on how the team has a lot of support, despite the big commitment. “It’s easy to communicate…we’re always talking about our feelings and emotions as a team,” said Klaassens. To Klaassens, it is always important the team is on the same page so they all play as one. Volleyball is a group sport, not just for one singular player.
Motivation from grades is a huge aspect of being a valuable varsity player. “It’s really important to try your best, especially when you’re on a team, and you know that having good grades, if you get below a certain grade, you’re not gonna be able to be there for your team,” said two-year varsity player Anika DiVirgilio. Adding on to DiVirgilio, always being a good teammate comes first, and having good grades gives you that relief as a player. You don’t have to worry about lingering school assignments if you keep up good study habits.
Looking at the academic perspective, Coach Balfour states that the team is already very academic in itself. “We attract very academic students, and I think that has to do with the students that mentor others,” said Balfour. Sometimes in the bleachers at games, a wandering eye will catch a huddle of girls trying to push through their geometry homework or reading a book for English class. All the players understand the value that schoolwork and grades have on the team and make sure to prioritize that before volleyball in itself.
It is unbelievable how many times the volleyball team has won this award, but Balfour states that “it’s just become part of our culture.”. Winning this award and being not only academically excellent has become not only a standard on the court every season, but a part of their culture to keep up their reputation as a team. This will inspire the “rising stars” as Balfour says, at the middle school, to push themselves to value academics during their school year, school season and club volleyball season, which will ultimately, carry on the academic legacy the seniors leave each year for the next varsity team to come and live up to.
Balfour started the volleyball program here at HB, and every single year, the varsity team has won this award. “We’ve had it as long as we’ve had a program here, and since our first varsity season back in 2000, we’ve gotten it every single year,” said Balfour.
On top of this award, the Girls’ Volleyball team has also received the Team Community Service Award almost every single year as well with fundraisers they have during the season. Some include Jeannie’s Jar of Hope Night, Senior Night and Mental Health Awareness Night. All proceeds go to the charities.
The Girls’ Varsity season has come to a close this year, but some of the girls will be managers for the Boys’ Volleyball JV and Varsity team, so make sure to come to a game.
