The elementary volleyball teams returned to Atherton International School (AIS) on Geoje Island for the finals last Wednesday, Feb. 14. Heading into the tournament, the Jets were favored to take multiple trophies home. With higher stakes this time around, the kids shook off their nerves before the matches. 

Just like the divisionals, AIS packed the ballers into an extremely crowded gym. Because of the chaos, referees misjudged calls. This hindered the games from properly flowing. “The referees gave the other team two points for no reason, they didn’t earn the point but they flipped the scoreboard. That was a little confusing,” said Olivia Park in fifth grade.

Even with the inconvenience, students enjoyed the day of volleyball. They experienced the competitive spirit of the meet and also relaxed with their peers. “I think it was awesome to play with people that are really good, I think it was more special for me because our team, we are really close, and we called the ball when it was our turn to hit and overall we developed a lot, and it was a good experience because we got to interact with friends and make friends from other international school,” said Tracy Kim in fifth grade.

The coaches looked delighted with the results. The players improved by leaps and bounds this season as the girls’ A1 team, the boys’ B1 team, and the girls’ B1 team all brought home the 1st place trophy. “They really really improved a lot in just a few months. They only practice once a week or twice a week but they improved a lot and they listened to the coaches and they can get better next year.,” said Dana Lee, a student coach in 11th grade. 

As the finals marked the end of the season, the volleyballers continue with their sports journey and switch gears to basketball for their final trimester. The enthusiasm the student-athletes bring to the table fuels the prosperous future of Jets Athletics. Volleyball wraps up with the Elementary Volleyball DIS Cup, an invitational for players, teachers, and parents, on Tuesday, March 12 in the Jetnasium.

Gallery • 12 Photos

Luna Kang

Amelia Kim in third grade cheers as she watches her team play. Her voice reached the hearts of her friends as they scored one more point.