The women’s volleyball team at Palomar College has had a season to remember filled with competitive athletes who are determined to win. Impact Magazine sat down with athletes and coaches to talk about the successful season they’ve had so far and get their thoughts on what it means to be a Palomar Comet.
Within the first couple of games this season, the team was competitive, having a 3-1 record against teams throughout the Pacific Coast Atlantic Conference.
Head coach of the volleyball team, Karl Seiler, is a five-time Pacific Coast Conference women’s indoor volleyball Coach of the Year and has been a part of the program since 1995.
“We have a lot of sophomores this year which is very helpful, and have a beach volleyball team in the spring. So a lot of the athletes got really close and have good team chemistry,” Seiler said.
When it comes to the energy during games, Seiler mentioned that the athletes are enthusiastic and motivate each other to be successful. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Comets have been struggling to win games. Last season’s focus was on rebuilding the team with athletes that are determined to be successful. The change of focus lead to a positive result, ending with a 13-11 record for the team.
“Last year was a good building year, but with all the freshmen coming in, our experience level wasn’t as high,” said Seiler. “However, this year, with the new athletes joining the team there has been a good compliment with the returning players from last year.”
Selier’s goal for the team is to compete in the playoffs and bring the championship trophy to Palomar, and for his athletes to recognize how far the team has come.
“I have three outstanding freshmen that will be returning next year along with recruiting new athletes so my expectation is to maintain the level that we are at now and keep improving,” Selier said.
Ashlynn Craven, a setter on the team, mentioned the athletes on the court are hard-working and encouraging to each other.
“I would describe our team as a whole as very competitive. We always want to be here and I think that’s shown on the court,” Craven said. Craven noted how the athletes are playing at a higher level than expected, along with proving themselves on and off the court.
Throughout her career, the biggest challenge Craven has faced is has been changing her position on the court from being an outside hitter to a setter, but the coaching staff at Palomar has been supportive during the transition. Despite the challenges, she has been able to stay motivated through her passion for volleyball and drive to be successful on the court.
“It’s been hard to balance for sure but I love volleyball… I coach high school and middle school during my free time and ref as well so that definitely keeps me motivated,” Craven said. “I also want to play at the next level so that pushes me to where I’m at now.
Craven’s advice for incoming athletes is to figure out how to balance your schedule with the different classes and stay on top of your assignments.
Emma Bambe, an outside hitter, mentioned her advice for incoming freshmen is to balance your schedule and make sure to do assignments on time rather than waiting until the last minute.
“I would describe the team as being passionate and very competitive. I think we all want to be here and you could see that once we get to practice, we just want to get started right away and that shows our love for the game,” Bambe said.
As for this season, Bambe mentioned that, despite being a new athlete to the program, the team is playing well and athletes are able to connect.
Throughout her trials, Bambe mentioned the mental aspect has been the most difficult challenge she has had to overcome.
However, playing for the love of the game has helped reaffirm her passion for volleyball and is a good reminder for when she is going through difficult times.
Bambe finds self-motivation by squaring off against hard teams the challenge has encouraged her to continue playing on the court.
“I think just all the rewarding moments in volleyball, like playing against teams that are notably really good like Mesa, prove to ourselves that we could play someone like that,” Bambe said
“It shows that the possibilities are endless.”
Janell Spires, an outside hitter for the Comets, mentioned the significant amount of growth from last year, and how entertaining it is to watch the team succeed at a higher level.
“So far our season has been going really well, we’ve been achieving things that we didn’t last season and have been competing against strong teams that are known to be higher in our conference,” Spires said.
During the season, Spires was able to motivate herself by spending quality time with the athletes on the team and supporting each other through the difficult trials they have faced in life.
“My passion for volleyball started when I was nine years old, and began to love the sport after touching the ball,” Spires said.
Spires advice for incoming athletes is to find people with similar interests because they will be there for you during challenging times.
Between school and volleyball, Spires stayed motivated by focusing on what’s more important at the moment.
“Setting my priorities. I’m more of a procrastinator so learning how to do what you have to do and not wait until the last minute,” Spires said.
Spires has found her place on the volleyball court, encouraging athletes to continue doing what they love and inspiring others to find their passion one set at a time.
