The U15 Momentum girls volleyball team recently returned from Phoenix, Ariz. as champions after testing themselves against new competition.
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With 88 teams in the tournament, head coach Cory Gratton knew the challenge was big and focused on making sure his players gained experience, no matter the results.
“When we attend tournaments that are large in scale, one of our objectives is to try to win more games than we lose,” said Gratton.
“Since this was our first tournament in Phoenix, we didn’t really know what to expect. It was difficult to know how strong a team was going to be until we were on the court.”
More than anything, he wanted his players to enjoy the trip and learn from it.
“Regardless of the win-loss record, the trip was going to be fun, and it would make them better volleyball players once we returned home,” he said.
A test of mental toughness
According to Gratton, one of the biggest challenges was playing in State Farm Stadium. With 26 matches happening at once and thousands of fans in the building, the atmosphere was unlike anything the team had experienced before.
“A player really needs to focus in order to not be overwhelmed by everything that is happening all around,” said Gratton.
The competition was also a mystery. With no previous matchups against these U.S. teams, Momentum had no way of knowing what to expect.
“We did not expect to go and do good,” said Avery Perkins, one of the players who travelled to Arizona. “Our goal wasn’t to win. It was just to have fun and enjoy the experience.”
The level of play pushed them to work harder.
“It was really, really good matches,” said player Adyson Krauss. “We had to come out and play right away.”
Each match brought new opponents with different styles of play. The team had to learn quickly.
“We were able to make the adjustments we needed,” Gratton said.
Getting motivation from losing
One of the team’s biggest moments came after an early loss to a Las Vegas team in the round robin. Instead of feeling discouraged, the players were excited for a second chance.
“Our group was happy to be playing that team again,” said Gratton “That’s not really typical of a young team. More often than not, teams in those situations won’t think they can win.”
Momentum went on to win three playoff matches, with all but one going to a deciding third set.
Their final opponent, a team from San Francisco, had not lost a single set all tournament.
“There was a moment in the third set when I thought we just might win because we’d scored a run of points,” said Gratton. “When I looked at the score, it was 14-7.”
Momentum held on for the victory, completing an unexpected championship run.
A team built on resilience
Gratton admitted he already knew his team had character, but the tournament reinforced it.
“There are a couple things I knew about the character of our team that really became cemented during the tournament,” said Gratton. “The first is their ability to not be intimidated by another team. That’s not a common trait with young groups.”
The second was their ability to stay focused under pressure.
“Three of the four playoff matches went three sets,” said Gratton. “Their ability to regroup and focus when things aren’t going our way shows maturity and experience beyond their years.”
In the end, it wasn’t just about winning a championship. It was about proving they could compete at the highest level.
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