Q&A with Coach Stephanie Pinno

By Erik Buchinger

Number of years as head coach: This will be my first year as head coach, so wish me luck. I was the JV1 team’s coach last year, and it was so much fun.

Returning varsity athletes: Chelsey Birling (12), Allysin Booth (12), Abby King (11), Lizzy Weatherwax (11), Lindsy Carpenter (11), Jennifer Peeters (11), Emma Zwirschitz (11).

Team goals/expectations: One of our huge team goals this year is to be competitive. We want to make it hard for any team to walk away with a win from us. We want to be the team to beat.

Team’s strengths: We have some amazing passing this year. Our serve receive looks phenomenal, and we cannot wait to show everyone what we can do with that. We also have a great team chemistry that sets us outside of the rest. All the girls are friends, and it makes it that much more fun to watch them play together.

Team’s weaknesses: Not that we want to admit this, but we do lack height. We make up for it in other ways of course, but when it comes to our net presence with hitting and blocking, we will definitely need to work on jumping.

Biggest events on the schedule: We are looking forward to our season kickoff in Wisconsin Dells. The girls enjoy being able to play multiple different teams and levels, and it makes for a fun weekend of team bonding and really getting to know our athletes. We also are starting a couple different traditions with some home game nights. We are having a season kickoff night for our first home game as well as a Little Truckers Night to recognize our youth. I’m thinking it will go well, and hopefully will stick.

What would make for a successful season: We are hoping for healthy players all season. That in our minds would be successful. And of course, we would love nothing more than to go .500 and make a run at regionals.

Why fans should be excited for this year’s team: Fans should be excited because these girls are a fun group. They show that when they play as well. They are a team made up of mostly juniors, so to be able to watch these girls progress within this year to last year and then to the next, will be awesome for fans to see.