YMCA celebrates spring volleyball championship

(ROCKWALL, TX — May 23, 2017) The spring volleyball season served to a close last weekend for the JER Chilton YMCA with championship games at the Rockwall ISD Administration building on Saturday, May 20.

The Honeybees were the winners for the 3^rd-4^th grade division, with a final standing of 6-2. The Rockstars were the winners for the 5^th, 6^th, & 7^th grade division, with a final standing of 8-0.

The Rockstars are no strangers to championship games, making it to the final round for the past two prior seasons. This was their first championship win. Rockstars coach Brandon Ashcraft said the team was “ecstatic and a little relieved.”

“We have only lost one game during the regular season in our three years, but we lost two championship games,” Ashcraft said. “To finally break through and win was awesome. Most the girls left with tears in their eyes the last two seasons, so to see their smiling faces on Saturday was priceless.”

Ashcraft said during off-season months, the girls will continue finding ways to develop their skills and enjoy the game they love.

“Our girls love to play sand volleyball over the summer with each other and their families,” Ashcraft said. “We also get together and go to volleyball clinics at different volleyball clubs during the summer and fall to work on skill development. Our parents also spend a lot of time in the driveway with their daughters working on getting better.”

Adam Wilkinson, who has coached the Honeybees team for the last two seasons, said they too have come close to previous championship wins and the game last weekend was “very emotional.”

“We had the same team as the previous three seasons, and we have been close a number of times,” Wilkinson said. “This has been a great moment for them, as it should be.”

For Wilkinson’s team, this year marks an especially emotional transition. Of the 12 girls on the Honeybees, all but two will be old enough to advance to the next age category next season. This could mean big changes for the team in the future.

Regardless of their future plans, both teams had a blast this season bonding with friends and building up new skills.

“Our girls really enjoy spending time with each other,” Ashcraft said. “Our practices were so much fun. The girls push each other in practice and have a great time working hard. We try and play fun games in practice that allow them to work on new skills.”

By Julie Anne White, Blue Ribbon News. Photos courtesy of J.E.R. Chilton YMCA.

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