I emailed some interview questions to the new coach at Council Bluffs Jefferson, Darion White, this week to see how things are looking with the new program he put in place this summer. I have spent a lot of time…
I emailed some interview questions to the new coach at Council Bluffs Jefferson, Darion White, this week to see how things are looking with the new program he put in place this summer. I have spent a lot of time with these girls over the years and I love the heart they have. Darion is also an assistant soccer coach at Jefferson and was a club coach for some younger teams with SWI Third Degree for the past couple of years. The results of his coaching have been tremendous in the past and I am excited to see how he can turn things around at Jefferson.
Who are some players that you are looking for bigs things from this season?
I see much larger roles coming from Ellie Perrine, Chloe Alley, Faith Christensen, Samara Alcaraz, and Jazlynn Sanders.
What are you seeing from Ellie Perrine so far and what role will she play this year?
Ellie, who is one of the senior captains this season, is going to be a great threat all over the court. Ellie and Chloe’s leadership under the new program has been huge! In just a few short months there has been great development from those two. Ellie will float around the front row until we can find a suitable lineup. I expect big things from Ellie this year. So far in our tune-up games, she has seen the most attacking attempts. I expect that flow to continue until we get dialed in. I just wish she wasn’t a senior.
What are you seeing from Chloe Alley?
Chloe, also a senior captain, is growing daily. She is a great athlete. Her volleyball IQ was good already but now that we are getting into running a little more complex system she is flourishing. My only drawback on Chloe is I wish she wasn’t a senior! She is a great leader who picks everyone up and strives for excellence.
What are you seeing from Faith Christensen?
Faith Christensen is also a captain this year due to her great attitude, skill, and leadership. She brings so many components to the table. She will be a Libero this season with a look to possibly play a utility role in some matches. Faith is like a sponge and relishes the opportunity to learn new things and be pushed hard to pursue excellence.
What are you seeing from Jazlynn Sanders?
Jazlynn Sanders is our final captain. She is another voice on the team that is helping to build us up this year. She builds players up, keeps the attitude high, and oh yeah, her swing is Killer! She will be our starting outside with the possibility of other hitting roles throughout the season. She is a great, coachable athlete who has a tremendously bright future.
I saw Samara Alcarez play in her transition from middle school to high school. How is she looking now?
Samara is one player that I bring up a lot. For only being a sophomore she is leading the team in kills through our summer games and scrimmages. She poses a big threat in the middle. She’s been growing and steadily increasing her speed, swing, and volleyball IQ. She just has loads of potential and I can see she is chasing after it! She will be our starting middle this season. Big things are coming from Samara.
Tell me about the rest of your team for this year, what new additions are making an impact?
Two great additions to our VB program are Abby Evers and Maggie Gundersen. Those two are straight ballers and are great athletes. Those two additions really helped round out our program.
Abby will likely be our other outside hitter or middle this season. She is so versatile!
Maggie is all around a complete player. Great hands, good block, great defense, and has a very good, smart swing.
Aaliyah Neve (2022, DS) is another player I’m excited about. She is a DS with a great back row swing. She is also a great leader in the gym and really pushes her teammates. I expect big things from Aaliyah
Ali Voss(2022, OH) has been a workhorse all summer and the start of this season. Great kid, also a great leader, willing to give it her all each time she is in the gym and competes. She is one to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Remaining current members on varsity are Marissa Moore (2022, DS), Jazlyn O’Neil (2022, DS/S), and Grace Strong (2024) who is a freshman that could see some serious reps in the coming weeks.
Council Bluffs Jefferson kicks off their season tonight against Lewis Central and Sidney.