The 2006 Volleyball Season was most certainly a growing one!  With a very young group of girls, we saw a lot of amazing improvement and maturity throughout the season.  As Coaches, we are so proud of this group of young ladies for showing their perseverance, their dedication and their talents.  We all learned so much about the game of volleyball and about ourselves, and that is something to be proud of.  Both the JV and the Varsity teams sat down and wrote a list of goals before the season officially started and throughout the season would check to make sure they were accomplishing most of what they set out to do.  At the end of the season, we looked back and marked off all of the goals we did in fact achieve.  It is truly amazing that these two teams achieved EVERY single goal that they set for themselves.  THAT is success defined!  The exciting thing about having a young team is that they all get to come back and build on what they learned the year before...and so, we look forward to another season.  2007 will be another amazing season to remember!  We want to thank these girls for their hard work and for putting their effort into the success of our teams.  We want to also thank the parents of these wonderful young women because they were truly supportive and this season could not have seen the successes it did without them.  As The 2007 Season approaches, let us remember who gave us the talents we have, let us use the talents we were given, and let us glorify God in all we do.  

                                                       We love you all,
                                                                        Coach Amber and Coach Abbie

To look back and appreciate the girls of the 2006 teams and what they accomplished, scroll down and check out who they were and how their season went.  Enjoy!!!

-------------------------------------------

2006 Teams

Varsity 2006
Elisabeth  Shearier #2 Team Captain Class: Junior Team: Varsity Position: Setter Height: 5'7"	Erin  Yonkers #5 Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: Outside Height: 5'7"
Sara Yacovetta #12 Class: Junior Team: Varsity Position: Setter Height: 5'5"	Jasmine Grantz #7 Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: Outside Height: 5'3"
Megan Knippenberg #1 Team Captain Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: Middle Height: 5'6"	Amy  Mayhall #14 Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: OH/RS Height: 5'4"
Stephanie  Lund #4 Team Captain Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: Middle Height: 5'8"	Ella  Kerr #6 Class: Sophomore Team: JV/Varsity Position: Middle Height: 5'10"
Susanna  Shearier #3 Class: Sophomore Team: Varsity Position: Outside Height: 5'6"	Brittany Schuette #9 Class: Sophomore Team: JV/Varsity Position: Setter Height: 5'5"
Junior Varsity 2006
Ella  Kerr #5 Team Captain Class:  Sophomore Team:  JV/Varsity Position:  Middle Height:  5'10"	Brittany  Schuette #7 Team Captain Class:  Sophomore Team:  JV/Varsity Position:  Setter Height:  5'5"
Jasmine  Grantz  #6 Class:  Sophomore Team:  JV/Varsity Position:  Outside Height:  5'3"	Amanda  Little  #4 Class:  Freshman Team:  JV Position:  Setter Height:  5'4"
Daniela  Nunes  #2 Class:  Freshman Team:  JV Position:  OH Height:  5'4"	Andrea  Anders  #14 Class:  Freshman Team:  JV Position:  Middle Height:  5'7"
Team Manager
Brooke  Costley Team Manager	Brooke was an amazing addition to our team this year!  She was so  willing to help and always did that  with a smile.  Her energy and love  was certainly priceless.   Thank you, Brooke, for being YOU!!!

-------------------------------------------
2006 Schedule 
Results and Highlights

        Home Games are in ALL CAPS      ** indicates Northern Front Range League game

The 2006 Season
Game-by-game Highlights 
--------------------------------------
We Are So Proud.....

     Oct. 28, 2006 - The Lady Lions Volleyball teams of Parker Lutheran had a season to be remembered.  Every season, no matter the team, has it's bumps in the road.  BUT, what the difference here is, is that these ladies never stopped doing their best and they faced each new day with a certain grace that only comes from having a faith to drive them.  We thank God for the talents and abilities that He so generously gave to us and we believe that we have used this season to glorify Him in all we did.  From the beginning of the 2006 season with Preseason to the end of our season with Districts, the Lady Lions have only created for themselves a future full of possibilities.  Winning many matches this season is only part of our successes.  We grew with each game and found the positives in every situation.  For example, this weekend in Sterling for Districts, the girls had a long day ahead of them.  With no experience in volleyball tournament pool play at the high school level, they had to play three matches (two in a row and the last one after sitting through another match) all while another court was going on at the same time right next to them.  It's a different atmosphere for sure!  The Lady Lions did a great job adjusting to the new surroundings.  We faced #1 Akron first and played very well.  We were playing some great volleyball, and almost took a game away from them (losing 24-26)!  After Akron, we played Resurrection Christian right away and were able to win a game in that match, making Rez a little uncomfortable.  After sitting, we then had to play Wray (who was dominating the day) and we took the first game away from them, winning 25-20!  We definitely made Wray feel the pressure, too.  So, even with three losses for the day, we gained experience that is priceless!  Not to mention that taking games away from two tough teams was a feat in itself!  
     With all of our success throughout our entire season, and with not having any seniors, we get to look forward to our Lady Lions coming back and being bigger, stronger, and more experienced.  That only serves to benefit us as a program and that makes our future exciting.

     We are so proud of you girls...You have been amazing to coach and it's been wonderful to be a part of your daily lives.  Thank you for your constant hard work and your amazing unique personalities.  We love you so much and hope that the rest of your 2006/2007 school year is as awesome as you are.  Congratulations on an amazing season.

     By the way, we'd love to thank the parents that came up to support us.  Also, thank you to Jane Winters and Nancy Lund for bringing up some of our Trinity Franktown volleyballers-to-be to watch our matches.  And...to the boys who came up to cheer us on - you're AWESOME!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's Not Always Just About the Big "W"

     Oct. 23, 2006 - The Lady Lions have done some great things this season and with our District Tournament  approaching, we work hard to stay strong and focused to finish out the season on a positive note.  The last three matches were tough losses for the Lutheran-Parker Lady Lions.  They didn't let the opponents win easily, but just didn't quite have enough steam to power through to the end to secure wins.  Our JV girls did, however, against both Campion Academy and Brighton Charter!  We've done so much good over our season and we've grown out of the bad.  That is what makes us successful!  The learning experiences we've had and the improvement that our program has made is, without a doubt, something to be proud of!  We look forward to our chance in Districts.  It will be a fun, exciting, and memory making weekend.  Good luck to our Varsity Lady Lions in their Post Season!!!  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Priceless

     Oct. 11, 2006 - The Volleyball teams gave their best shot against the Kiowa High School Indians on Wednesday night.  It was one of those nights where the girls were able to celebrate the great things they were doing and how much they have improved over the season.  Playing  those big games, against hard swinging teams, are so important because the game experience is priceless.  How to be mentally tough, how to stay aggressive, how to keep momentum, how to work hard till the very end, how to make decisions to benefit the situation at hand....All of those things are so valuable to learn and the best time to learn them is in those big games.  Our Lady Lions, both the JV and Varsity, had the opportunity to learn those lessons last night and they took advantage of them and did some great things.  So, again, success is defined in more ways than just the "W" and the Lady Lions walked away proud of themselves last night.  Way to go, girls!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Success Defined

     Oct. 6 and 7, 2006 - For the Lady Lions Volleyball teams, this weekend can define success in a completely different way than the conventional definition states.  It is a known fact, that in competitive athletics, the things remembered most are the teammates, the times together, and the feelings of success.  Success, though, doesn't have to be measured in just a win/loss record!  The Lady Lions may have lost both matches this weekend, but nothing can compare to the feeling of playing at a level that is challenging, fun, exciting, thrilling, and has a learning experience at every turn!  The Lady Lions played a couple of great matches, performing at a level not yet seen.  These girls have come so far from the beginning and reached a level that they didn't even know could happen.  It's exciting to dream about the future and all of it's possibilities.  With much still to learn and improve on, the girls have a great foundation for a solid rest of the season.  As we look forward to 4 more regular season games and a shot at Districts, our best can only get better!  Great job, ladies!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lessons...

     Oct. 3, 2006 - Brighton Charter fought hard and came out victorious against the Varsity Lady Lions.  Going all the way to 5 games, the Lady Lions just made a few more mistakes than the Hawks.  We are excited that we get to play them again, and we will take lessons learned last night into our upcoming matches.  It was a rough night and yet, good stuff can come of it.  We can learn more about ourselves, we can learn more about being a part of a team, and we can learn more about the game.  If we are open to the possibility that in every situation something valuable can be learned, than we are still successful.  Every now and then, a team needs a gut-check and they need to refocus and reevaluate where they're at.  It only serves to make us stronger...  Even in a tough loss, there can be good.  Never stop trying, never stop learning....no one is "that" good!  Keep working hard, ladies, and find what drives YOU!  There is congratulations to be had, too, to our JV Lady Lions who defeated the Lady Hawks of Brighton Charter in two games!  Great job girls and way to play tough!  Keep up the good work!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Volleyball Brain...

     Sept. 29 and 30, 2006 - Both the JV and Varsity Lady Lions Volleyball teams walked away this weekend with wins against both Community Christian School and Christian Fellowship School.  With double wins, we can say that our weekend was very successful.  But, sometimes, success isn't defined just by the big "W".  That is a big part of it, sure, but it's not everything.  Both teams did a great job this weekend expanding their volleyball knowledge and learning about the game in a whole different way.  They really used the stuff that they are learning in practice and put it on the court!  It happens very often that during practice, athletes learn a lot, but come game time, they go to their comfort zone, sometimes not using the new stuff they've learned...  It's a natural mindset to have.  But, both teams this weekend opened up their possibilities by trying new and different things that they had really only done in practice.  So, it's safe to say that they "grew up" in their volleyball mentalities, in other words, started forming "volleyball brains"  and it served them well!  Congrats ladies on a job well done.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Roller Coaster Ride Continues

     Sept. 26, 2006 - The Lady Lions walked away with another win last night against the Eagles of Pikes Peak Christian.  Volleyball, in it's purest form, is quite the roller coaster ride.  The Lady Lions lost the first game in the match 31-29 and then proceeded to win the next game 25-17.  That was the way the night was.  The girls had to earn every point they played and in the end, the Lady Lions came out with the win, winning the third game 25-23 and the fourth game 25-22.  So, to say the least, the girls did a great job staying in control of the match.  Our JV girls played a tough match, but fell just short of a win.  The Lady Lions continue to work hard and prepare themselves for the remaining 10 games of the season.  We are officially half way through!  It's exciting to imagine what is to come!  Congrats girls on a match well played!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Look Into the Future

     Sept. 22, 2006 - "WOW."  It's a word that easily describes the events of Friday night when the Lady Lions took on the Resurrection Christian Cougars.  It was Homecoming weekend and our crowd was the biggest yet.  "Rez", as they are known, has a consistently great program and wanting to win is something very engrained in the hearts of our volleyball athletes.  The Lady Lions Varsity team put up quite the fight in this very well-played match.  As coaches, we saw them play the best they have yet and that is so exciting!  The Lady Lions defense was the strongest of the two teams giving them a great amount of energy, even up against Rez's tough offense.  With Rez being a bit older and more experienced, they came out with the win, but our girls made them earn it.  Great job ladies, way to fight and remember how it feels to play like THAT!  Our JV girls did a nice job staying tough and not giving up too easily, but Rez was just a little too much for them.  It's great game experience, though, to play the tough teams!   

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Frontier Academy's Offense Is Too Much

     Sept. 19, 2006 - Our Lady Lions put up a solid defense against Frontier Academy, but it just wasn't strong enough.  Frontier, with the twin sisters and the support of the rest of their team and a faster offense, were tough for the Lady Lions.  As with all losses, we all learned something new and we are now tougher and stronger for it.  We must give credit where it is due and the girls of Frontier played a great match.  On our Lady Lions, side, though, after the jitters of the first game were out of our systems, the girls stepped it up and showed that they were capable of much more.  We had some great digs and awesome hustle!  The JV Lady Lions did a great job, too, of working hard, but the inexperience of the girls made it tough for them to get a win.  With every game we play, the better we get!  Keep working hard, ladies!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Great Way to Start the Weekend

     Sept. 16, 2006 - The Lady Lions continue their success with a double win against Nederland High School.  After having breakfast as a team with our families that morning, having fun and fellowship together, the girls took with them into the gym, a desire to win and that they did!  The girls didn't just win, they won with authority.  Working hard and playing tough was how they did it.  They kept their game at their level, had confidence in their abilities, and finished strong.  It was a great way to start off the weekend!  We also welcome a newcomer from Bennett High School who started on Friday.  Amelia will join us for the remainder of the season and we are happy to have her with us!  Great job girls, keep working hard!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Psalm 46:10

     Sept. 14, 2006 - "Be still and know that I am God" is what tonight was all about.  The Lady Lions faced Campion Academy and wanted the win so bad they could taste it.  But, it didn't come easily or without a lesson in trust.  The JV game was a good one and the girls won in two games.  They had to fight for it, but they came out as the winners.  Our Varsity Lady Lions did well, too.  They won the first two games and needed one more to win.  Up in the third game 18-11, a time out was called and one of our Lady Lions collapsed to the ground and the paramedics needed to be called.  Ella was rushed out of there by our strong Parker Firefighters/Paramedics and taken to the hospital to be treated there.  Both teams, obviously shook up by what had just happened, had to get back out onto the court and finish the game.  "Be still and know that I am God" is what got us through it.  We finished the game strong and won in three.  We played to God's Glory and won it for Ella.  Thankfully, Ella is in perfect health and back to her normal self.  We appreciate all of the prayers being lifted up for our friends - Ella and her family.  Thank you.  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Learning a Lesson in Mental Toughness

     Sept. 12, 2006 - Volleyball is sometimes a game of mistakes...whichever team makes the least amount of mistakes usually wins.  In the game against the Lady Falcons of Front Range Christian, both teams were fighting for a win and doing a great job.  But, unfortunately, the Lady Lions just made a few more mistakes than the other team.  But, learning experiences happen in every moment of competition and the Lutheran Parker Volleyballers learned that making smart choices when tired and frustrated is the way to play.  They are determined to come out stronger and more resilient in our upcoming matches.  Taking a tough loss like this one will only serve to improve the girls and their willingness to give it their all at every opportunity.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evangelical Christian Comes Out Swingin'!

     Sept 8, 2006 - Our Lady Lions gave a great fight, but fell short.  The JVers tried to pull off a win and were doing their best to stay strong the entire match.  They were able to see where they need to be stronger and this first loss gives them something positive to learn from.  The Varsity Lady Lions struggled through the first game in a new rotation, but came back in the second game and didn't lose by much.  Not willing to go down that easily, the girls came back very strong and tough in the third game and took away the "W" from the ECA Eagles!  Unfortunately, the girls couldn't hold on and lost in the fourth game.  Stepping into a huge Varsity role, Ella Kerr did an amazing job staying strong and made great decisions throughout the match!  There is always something positive out of a loss, and we were able to see where our strengths are and what we can work on to be better prepared for what is to come!  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Success Continues

     Sept 7, 2006 - Again, the volleyball teams see success against Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy!  The JV girls held on strong to what they do well and were able to come away with a win in two games!  The Varsity girls showed their maturity and mental toughness by playing very solidly throughout the whole game.  Ella and Brittany did an amazing job stepping into the Varsity game and made great strong decisions!  Congrats girls on a very successful day!  Keep it up!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First Home Game A Huge Success

     Sept. 5, 2006 - The Lady Lions Volleyballers were very successful on the night of their first home game of the season!  Both the Junior Varsity and the Varsity teams came out on top and defeated Rocky Mountain Lutheran!  The JV girls won in 3 game and were very strong throughout their match!  Great job ladies!
     The Varsity girls came out fighting after losing the first game.  They were unwilling to settle for any less than their best and won the next three games solidly.  We keep seeing some great things out of the girls and are very proud of them!  Keep it up!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lady Lions Make a Very Good First Impression!

     Aug. 31, 2006 - The Lady Lions started off their 2006 season with a great many successes!  We saw some definite strengths throughout the evening and we look forward to seeing what the rest of our season brings our way! 
     The JV team won their match in three, winning their first game somewhat easily, losing the second, and coming back in the third fighting till the end pulling out the first "W" of the season.  It was very obvious that their hard work and preparation has given them a great start.  Congrats, girls on a great first game!
     The Varsity team had quite the thriller to begin the season!  Winning the match in five, they went on the roller coaster ride that a volleyball match often is.  This group of girls didn't let losing the first game stop them!  They came back full force and won the second game.  They went on to lose the third game and win the fourth game sending them into the deciding fifth game.  Staying tough till the very end, they pulled out their first "W" for the season and gave the Lady Lions a great foundation in which to build upon!  For being such a young team, these girls showed a lot of mental toughness and heart throughout the entire match.  Their hard work and determination is obvious and they are definitely in this as a team!  Congrats, girls on your first win!  ---written Sept. 4, 2006