sticky Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 4 seniors lead Barbers Hill volleyball team By Michael Pineda Baytown Sun Published October 30, 2006 Although Barbers Hill has not been a fixture long in high school volleyball, the school is recognized as a regional and state power thanks to some unbelievable early success. In only six years, the Eagles have advanced to the state championship game as well as a regional final. When the Eagles suit up for their first 4A playoff run Tuesday at Lee College against Santa Fe, there will be four seniors which have stood the test of time. Part of an original class of more than 30 players, Leslie Browder, Courtney Johnson, Claire Wright and Brittany Connally are all that remain. They are also the first four girls at Barbers Hill to have played volleyball for all six years. “I was out there when there was over 30 of them in first period,†BH head coach John Leonard said. “By the time they got there and got dressed out, we were only able to practice for 35 minutes. You never know which ones are going to make it all the way through. I don’t know if you would say they have survived or if they have stood the test of time. “We knew this class would be the one that would put us on an even keel with all of the other schools.†The girls’ first introduction to volleyball came in a camp following their sixth grade year. “The first thing that I remember is Coach Leonard drew I’s on the back of our thumbs,†Wright said. “He taught us wherever the eyes were looking that was where the ball would go.†All four girls made the “A†team their seventh grade year in tryouts. Browder had a more difficult test in her tryout as she missed the original due to illness. “I was sick and I didn’t get to go,†Browder said. “All my friends made the ‘A’ team and I was scared that I was going to make the ‘B’ team. I had a private tryout and made it.†Each of the girls had their own reasons for going out for volleyball. Although none of the girls had any prior experience in the sport whatsoever, it didn’t take them long to fall for it. “All I knew was that the ball was white and that is was supposed to go over the net,†Browder said. “The only reason that I played was that I was not any good,†Connally said. “I used to play a lot of soccer, and I quit after I switched to volleyball. We were not very good. I think we had a pretty decent record, but looking at seventh grade teams now, we don’t compare.†“My dad thought it was something that I would like,†Johnson said. “I always liked basketball more but last year I switched fulltime to volleyball. The first person I told about making the ‘A’ team was my dad. I never thought that when I took the team picture that year that it would be posted all across school.†Since that time the Eagle seniors have seen the program evolve into a 3A power. The transition to 4A power will begin Tuesday night in an area round match against Santa Fe. Barbers Hill enters the game as champions of District 21-4A where they held a 14-0 record. “Now that we are in 4A, a lot of people don’t think we are going to do good,†Browder said. “It would be very good if we could prove them wrong.†“I think we could be better,†Wright said. “The competition level is starting to pick up, and we could always improve.†Regardless of what transpires during the playoffs, the Eagles have gained by not only knowing success on the court but by having success off the court and by the relationships developed. “Volleyball means everything to me,†Johnson said. “With Coach Leonard it has meant working hard for something and staying focused but not forgetting the rest of your everyday life.†“We’re not just friends on the court but off as well,†Connally said. “We actually bring what we have off the court into our matches, and not many teams can say that.â€
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