Volleyball club helping develop talented core of young women

By ROBYN RISON - The Herald-Dispatch

Randy Snyder/The Herald-Dispatch Wayne's Haley Booton returns the ball during tryouts on Sunday for the River Cities Thunder volleyball club team at Gullickson Hall at Marshall University.

HUNTINGTON -- The River Cities Thunder Volleyball Club is a perfect advertisement for club sports.

Now in its third year the club has doubled in size while gaining regional and even some national attention. The players are developing their skills and using them to make a difference with their high school teams.

"When we first started they had that deer-in-the-headlights look," said club director Mike Strickland. "Last year they were competitive and improved."

River Cities Thunder grew from 23 players and two mix-and-match teams in its first season to 45 girls and four squads last season. This year’s roster of players is still coming together, but the travel teams are filled and a local league is being formed for others. Also, players are still being accepted for a developmental league. Final league placements will be Jan. 9.

The league will serve as a feeder program for travel teams that will compete by age division in regional and national tournaments from January to May.

River Cities Thunder had one of last season’s 16-year-old teams finished tied for 13th in the region. The increased skill level attained from the added months playing against top-notch competition also impacted area schools.

Spring Valley High School saw dramatic benefits. The Timberwolves had 10 players on this year’s state semifinalist team that also play for River Cities Thunder. The Timberwolves also had the first winning season in school history.

Across the river in Kentucky, when the first-team all-area players were announced, seven of the 11 chosen were Thunder players.

"The goal of the club has been to help build and develop the skill level," Strickland said. "We’ve been behind in this area and we’re now starting to see some improvement."

It’s been a huge benefit to many area players on a variety of levels.

"I wanted to get better and play against harder competition," said Corie Rakes, 16, who attends Ashland’s Paul Blazer High School. "This has definitely helped. It’s really fun and the competition is better. I’ve learned how to hit better and how to pass better.

"Most people around here don’t know what real volleyball should be and this helps."

Brittany Wall, a 16-year-old Russell High School student said the club-level competition is something you can’t get playing only for a high school team.

Spring Valley’s Jennifer Wiles, 18, didn’t realize how much she enjoyed volleyball until joining the club team. Before that, she a basketball player.

Wiles is now interested in playing college volleyball.

"It’s not only helped physically, but mentally," she said. "It’s diverse players and really good competition that makes you improve all over the place. Forever I liked basketball, but when I got into this it became my main sport. It’s something I’m set on doing. Sometimes it’s hard not to get burned out, but I play to have fun and that’s what keeps me going. It’s not because anybody makes me. I want to play because it’s fun."

Sydney Brickett is a long way away from thinking about college. The 13-year-old Cammack Middle School student is starting her second year with River Cities Thunder. She has progressed from the Cammack junior varsity to the varsity and now she’s aiming to be a high school player.

Brickett said she her middle school taught her basic skills, but she wants to be better than that.

"I want to be ready for high school," she said. "And it’s a lot of fun. You get to meet a lot of new friends and play competitive teams. It’s tougher, but it’s a lot more fun."

Jacobs said the Tri-State has plenty of players with potential, but without the training a club team can provide most of it wasn’t being used. Seeing the club get off the ground and do well is very exciting to him.

His club team duties include training players and providing coaches that include some of his Thundering Herd team members.

"I don’t know that this is a perfect club, but it’s a way to get the community involved and grow the sport and in turn it helps Marshall by getting fans in the seats," he said. "There are special athletes here and I hope there will come a day when a player can grow up here and play at Marshall."

Jacobs also said the club is providing young athletes with the desire, skills and opportunities to earn college scholarships. He said those things will increase with time as the players and the club develop.

"The growth is in the heart of those kids that started this," Jacobs said.