As Katy Perry once sang in 2008, “You’re hot then you’re cold.” This song describes the weather in Los Angeles this year. From heat to wind to rain to heat again, Archer’s varsity beach volleyball team had to constantly adjust to varying weather patterns during their season.
Before playoffs, the team had won every game except for one against Pacifica Christian Feb. 29. They continued to the playoffs and played their first game April 18, where they lost 3-2.
The team typically practiced at Annenberg Beach Club four times a week. Although beach volleyball is a spring sport, many team members were already familiar with each other from playing together during indoor volleyball in the fall.
Captain Izzy Jeffery (’24) played volleyball at Archer from sixth through 12th grade. She said that even when it rained, she and her teammates were still able to enjoy their games.
“There was one time it was raining, and we still had to practice,” Jeffery said. “It was stressful. It was raining hard. We were all soaking wet and diving in the sand, and so, it just didn’t feel comfy. But at the end of the day, we still had fun.”
Freshman Nicole Svendsen, who has been playing volleyball for four years, said, on a particular match day, there was a lot of wind, which caused the team to lose focus. However, during one of their huddles, they all agreed to fully engage in the game and ignore the wind as best they could.
“We all just said that we really have to lock in because it was really windy that day, and all of us were kind of losing track of the fact that we were playing volleyball,” Svendsen said. “So, we just had to make sure that we were really focused and that we didn’t let the wind get the best of us.”
Freshman Snow Zhou was new to Archer volleyball this year but has been playing indoor volleyball for more than two years. She said the wind and rain affected the way they serve on the court.
“Beach volleyball really depends on the weather because a bigger wind would affect the serving,” Zhou said. “And if you are standing facing the wind, it’s really hard to serve because you’d have to put extra power on it.”
Additionally, Jeffery explained that the wind and sun can also impact the volleyball itself.
“When it comes to wind or sun, if it’s too much, it’s very taxing on the ball,” Jeffery said. “When it gets really hot, we get tired easily. It just affects the way that we play.”
Zhou also said the team continually put all their effort into practicing even during instances of heavy rain.
“When there’s heavy rain, our coaches mostly cancel the practice, but there was once our coaches still let us go to practice,” Zhou said. “And it’s actually freezing. I remember it was all on my face and my body, but my teammates and I still put 100% effort into the practice, and the experience [was] unforgettable.”
