Neumann players eager, glad to compete for club volleyball team
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball coach Madilyn Burley talks to her players prior to a game this year. Neumann is playing volleyball this season as a club sport before becoming a varsity sport next fall.
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball players compete during a game this year. The Golden Knights are playing as a club team this year with plans to be a varsity team next fall.
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball players compete during a game this year.
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball coach Madilyn Burley talks to her players prior to a game this year. Neumann is playing volleyball this season as a club sport before becoming a varsity sport next fall.
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball players compete during a game this year. The Golden Knights are playing as a club team this year with plans to be a varsity team next fall.
PHOTO PROVIDED St. John Neumann girls volleyball players compete during a game this year.
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Girls volleyball has quickly become a large and fast-growing sport throughout Pennsylvania, and notably in Lycoming County. Last year, Montoursville got a team and began competition and Jersey Shore quickly followed this year.
And now, another has added its name to the list: St. John Neumann.
The Golden Knights always have small enrollment numbers each year, but that doesn't mean the participation and willingness to compete isn't there. The Golden Knights fielded a team this year to compete as a club with the plan to be a varsity sport in 2027.
"I think the girls are more timid to come play, just because we had started so late into the school year. I believe if we had more workouts or playing during the summer, we could've had a better turnout," Neumann coach Madilyn Burley said. "But, I think many girls showed up and tried it out and decided if they wanted it or not."
Burley took the program over in its inaugural year and is glad to have gotten the chance to do so and lead the Golden Knights in volleyball.
"When I was told I would be the first head coach Iw as so happy that they chose me to lead these girls," Burley said. "I knew I could do this and I also got to pick my assistant coach, who happens to be one of my best friends. She is a huge part of this team as well as the girls."
That assistant coach is Ariyanna Hale.
Neumann's team this year consists of sophomore Alison Crosby, freshmen Leona DeAlessio, Madelyn Weigle, Moya Li and Genevieve Nevel, eight graders Dalila Morales, Topanga Conrad, Abigail Koshy, Brielle Thomas and Ellie White, and seventh graders Alice Duvall, Zale McPherson and Adeline Koshy.
Burley has seen through practices and competitions the players from Neumann being eager to improve on the court.
"Yes, I believe these girls are willing to do fundamental things to make volleyball a bigger sport in their school," Burley said. "They are willing to get more tournaments and matches, because they want to keep getting better and getting the experience."
This past week, the Golden Knights competed against Jersey Shore, another newer program, and lost to the Bulldogs. The Golden Knights will suffer a few losses early on in the infancy of their program, but those losses build character and help players know what they need to do to get better as a team.
And they'll continue working to do just that.
Burley has been playing volleyball for awhile, getting her start when Williamsport had its first middle school team, and it was an experience Burley was happy to have experienced and she believes more schools within District 4 should get programs.
"I do think more schools in the area should think about getting volleyball. I played when the WASD had their first middle school team and it changed my life," Burley said. "I believe that can be true to many other girls and schools in the area."