WHHS Beach Volleyball Team Going to State Championship 2nd Year in a Row
by James Coulter
For the second consecutive year, the Winter Haven High School (WHHS) beach volleyball team is set to compete in the state championships this weekend.
After their stunning victory in the district championships last month, the Winter Haven Blue Devils beach volleyball team will be heading to Tallahassee on Thursday to compete in the state championships on Friday morning.
“It feels good,” said head coach Dylan Seacrest. “We came into the year with high expectations, some big goals, to try to repeat from last year, to try to build the program, and move everything forward.”
Coach Seacrest considers their success twofold. First, and most importantly, he owes their victories this past season to the grace of God.
“I think the first thing we owe our success and appreciation to is God,” he said. “He is a big part of our program and I make sure He is a part of the program. He has been gracious to us and blessed us this year and helped us tremendously so. So, the first thing we will do is give Him the glory.”
Secondly, he owes their success to the hard work and effort of his 16 players. After reaching state championships last year, they strove this year to repeat that same milestone, and through their hard work, repeated it they did.
“It has been high expectations for the girls,” he said. “They have known this entire season what the goals were and what we were trying to accomplish. Because of that, they had to work really, really hard. They have accomplished their goal thus far in winning a second district championship in a row, winning two regional games, and making it back to Tallahassee.”
Even more impressive, many of the players also participate in the club volleyball team. Playing in two different sports teams while also balancing their school and personal lives proves to be a real challenge, but one his players are more than capable of overcoming.
“I give God the praise and those kids the credit,” Coach Seacrest said. “These girls are pulling late nights and pushing their bodies [with] a lot of strenuous activities. They are doing a great job. They have stayed all in…Those kids deserve all the credit because they are the ones out there busting their butts and working hard to get us where we are. They work hard to make us look good.”
Coach Seacrest not only hopes that his players play hard and win big in the coming state championship in Tallahassee, but also that the teams they play against will offer them a proper challenge.
“We are excited to get a different challenge of a team that we know will be good in Vero Beach, but also we do feel confident we are traveling with confidence and working extremely hard,” he said. “I know the girls are excited to be going back up to state, and I think this year we will go up there with a new mindset.”
The Winter Haven Blue Devils beach volleyball team will be traveling to Tallahassee on Thursday evening and competing in the state championships on Friday morning.
