Staff Defeat Students in Volleyball

Point+well+taken%3A+Senior+Malaika+McCray+prepares+to+serve+the+ball+in+a+game+against+the+teaching+and+coaching+staff.+

De'Enlas Head

Point well taken: Senior Malaika McCray prepares to serve the ball in a game against the teaching and coaching staff.

Charda Williams

 

Southfield High School started a new tradition of hosting a volleyball game between the Varsity Girls Volleyball team and the staff members.

In the first game, held Nov. 20, teachers swept students by winning the first two out of three games. The staff put a smack down on the team, blowing the girls out the first match 17-25 and the girls trying to rally back but falling short two points, 26-28 , during the second match.

The inexperience of some of the faculty members did not keep them from winning. “I just learned how to play today,” said Art Teacher Doug Paniccia.  “Hit the ball over the net.”

Other faculty members who played included social studies teacher Jamie Glinz, gym teacher Ernie Taber, and science teacher Jennifer Bargardi. Student teacher Eric Lorber played for the staff team and represented the English Department. The math department was well-represented by teachers Valerie Walker and Nedestat Nwabueze.

All proceeds from ticket sales to the game were used to buy food and gift cards for less fortunate families in the Southfield High community.

The event was sponsored by the National Honor Society, which also came up with the idea for the game. Kids paid $5 for admissions to watch the event.

Senior Tiffany Harris, President of the NHS, said, “Looking out for the Southfield High School families was most important to us for the holidays.”

The girls, including seniors Tailar White,  Donne Wynn and Myrakal White,  needed all the help they could get to win the game. Principal Michael Horn acted as assistant coach to Head Coach and senior Katherine Nealy.

In the middle of the game, two varsity football players, seniors Dior Johnson and Garrick Foxhall, came on to the floor to help the girls and dominated.

Foxhall and Johnson were sent in as substitutes by Horn in the second match to get some points on the board. Foxhall said, “It was a blowout before I got into the game, one amazing play and the momentum swing began from there.”

The girls played a hard game, according to senior volleyball team member Malaika McCray. She said, “It sucked only because we lost, but we did have a lot of fun out there. I think with all the fun we were having, we didn’t communicate, and that’s why we lost.”

With all the help the girls had, the teachers wouldn’t let up, not even for a second. Staff member Jamie Glinz at 6feet 6 inches had a spike that came down fast like a fire ball, scoring a point every chance he had to hit the ball. The second game was close, but the chilled Glinz said, “In the end, it’s all fun, nothing to get nervous for,, but we had to get focussed to get the victory.”

Glinz has had the chance to be on a lot of the winning staff teams. He has been a member of the staff basketball team, which has defeated the students for the past three years. He also played on the first staff Dodgeball team last year and he continue his joking relationship with the kids with the simple question, “What sport do the students want to play next ?”