In the 2017 Cook Inlet Conference volleyball season the West High Eagles have improved and achieved an astounding record of 9-5, tying the South High Wolverines for the same amount of wins and losses.

On October 24 the Eagles played the Dimond Lynx at Dimond in their last regular season game. The Eagles lost in a heated fifth set against the top seeded Dimond Lynx, losing by only a few points making them 2-1 against the Lynx.

“It’s just been a lot better, I think lots because of coaching…They didn’t really make a lot of effort to have us improve,” said Brooke Dexter about the coaching staff from the prior season. That season the Eagles went 6-8, but this season the Eagles are doing better and making an effort to dethrone the Dimond Lynx, who won state last season. The Eagles have been able to beat almost every team in the Cook Inlet Conference, except Bartlett, and have even been able to beat the Dimond Lynx.

The Eagles attribute their success in this season to their new coach April Stahl, who had been the Eagles coach of the West High Eagles from 2004-08 and has returned, and teammate Faith Marroquin. Coach Stahl has returned to West and has helped the Eagles through working on their team chemistry and focus.

“They’ve been fantastic there a group of girls that really want to win and they have the physical ability it’s just been working on team chemistry and believing in each other,” and “You have to be in the moment, be in this moment and don’t overlook anyone or anything,” said Coach Stahl. She believes that through working on team chemistry and focusing and preparing for each and every game the girls can keep winning and achieve their goal of winning a state title.

“She brings us together and keeps us calm…She leads with her words but her actions make more of a difference,” said Dexter about teammate Marroquin. Her teammates feel that she is a great inspiration and a good example of what a leading figure should be. She is also a phenomenal libero on the court possibly one of the best in the state, says Coach Stahl.

This season chemistry and connection has been one of the key elements to the Eagles success. Coach Stahl has said she has tried to improve their chemistry by “Putting [the players] in a lot of frustrating situations together and making them work through it and also helping them learn how to communicate and give each other positive feedback to teach them how to be a better teammate.” This season the coaches have been trying to get the players to connect on and off the court so they can be friends and even better teammates, which has been effective.

This season the eagles are looking to be contenders in winning the state championship and are well along that path this year.