Volleyball 

Weaver, Lady Airedales host team camp Thursday 

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

The Alma Lady Airedales’ volleyball team is just over a month shy of its first competition.

But there’s plenty of work to be done this week as the Lady Airedales host a team with various participants.

El Dorado, Pottsville, Mansfield, Taylor, and Russellville, among others, will comprise the camp set for Thursday.

“It’s a very diverse group of competition,” Alma Volleyball Coach Kim Weaver said. “We have 16 varsity and 12 JV teams, but several are the same schools. (But) the New School (Fayetteville) is the only school not playing varsity.

“We’ll be in the Arena, Crabtree (Gym), and over at the Middle School.”

The purpose of the event is to help each team better understand their roster heading into late August.

Alma (6-19 in 2023) will host Rogers Heritage on Aug. 22 in a benefit game. Weaver’s crew will open the season on Aug. 26 at Ozark as part of a three-game road trip that will take them to Paris and Dover as well.

The Lady Airedales open 5A-West conference play on Sept. 10 against Farmington.

“Our benefit match is on the (August) 22nd, so that’s a month from this coming Monday,” Weaver said. “For us to just see as much competition and as many looks across the net, we’ll be better prepared for what to expect in our conference. Plus, we can look at the way we can organize ourselves. That’s probably the biggest priority, to see how we can become the best team over the next five weeks.”

The Lady Airedales have seven returning seniors, including a handful who earned starting jobs as sophomores. Mabrey Birchfield and Madison Peters have extensive experience.

Alma has a strong junior and sophomore class as well.

“It’s a new day for Alma volleyball - I believe that,” she said. “Adding our incoming sophomores with a great senior class, and that junior class is tough. We have 18 kids on the roster, and through that 18 there are a ton of combinations that can be truly effective.”