Iola High’s volleyball team and coaches donated their time to instill the love of the game for the next generation of Iola Mustangs at this week’s IHS Youth Volleyball Camp.
Players and coaches spent a few hours Tuesday through Thursday with elementary students teaching them the fundamentals as they pay it forward to those who helped them years ago.
“It was fun to watch them have more fun as it got easier,” said Blayke Folk, Iola sophomore. “It was cool being one of the bigger girls. I did this camp when I was little, and it was fun to learn from them. It was fun being the one they’re learning from.”
The camp dovetailed with ongoing volleyball camps for Iola Middle School and IHS students. Spearheaded by second-year IHS coach Lauren Moots, the camp sought to reinforce volleyball fundamentals while also introducing it to athletes learning volleyball for the first time.
Iola High School players coaches and youth camp participants gather following Wednesday’s camp session.
“We did everything. We covered passing, serving, hitting and walked through the rotation to show them how everything worked,” Moots said. “As they go to rec league as they get older, they will be more familiar with the whole game. It’s been fun. You can see the lightbulb come on in their head as they got it.”
For Folk, Moots and company, the camp was about giving back to a community that provided so much
