News Post
Beach Volleyball Team Celebrates Inaugural Season
The St. Joseph’s Academy beach volleyball team celebrated its inaugural season with an end-of-the-year awards banquet on December 3 in the Fife Student Commons. Team members were presented with certificates, and several individual awards were bestowed as follows:
Most Valuable Player: Gabby Fontenot
Coaches Award: Lucy Ann Samaha
Sportsmanship: Emma Tullier
Most Improved: Charlotte Klar
The first-year team’s season involved competing in the SJA Beach Volleyball High School Doubles Tournament on November 1 at Mango’s Beach Volleyball Complex. The tournament was open to girls and boys 18U, 16U and 14U. Gabby Fontenot and Julia Knight advanced to the 16U championship match and finished second in the field of 15 teams.
Coach Jody Tullier said beach volleyball is a dynamic and fast-growing sport. “The challenges of playing in the sand require a different skillset and approach, emphasizing all-around play and constant adaptation to the outdoor elements,” he said. “With only two players on the court per team, beach volleyball forces each athlete to master every aspect of the game: passing, setting, attacking, defending and serving. This comprehensive training builds well-rounded athletes who excel in any volleyball environment.”
The team will host a start-up tournament in February in advance of the spring season, which will run from March to May. The Redstickers will compete in numerous doubles tournaments at several complexes throughout the season.
“It is our ultimate goal to get other schools in the surrounding area involved so we can form a Baton Rouge-based high school beach volleyball league,” Tullier said.