One of the fastest growing women’s sports in Iowa has inspired thousands of Cougars during its competition seasons at Kennedy. Tuesday night game days bring in Cougar Nation to watch their hitters, spikers and setters on the center court. With the rise of volleyball’s popularity, traditions have developed throughout Kennedy’s teams.
Like many school sports, Kennedy volleyball has themed games. The players decide before a game what they want their student section to come dressed in, but the fans aren’t the only ones getting into the spirit of the themes. The practice before a game, Cougar volleyball players practice in their own themed attire.
“I like that we take photos before every game,” freshman Sky Ousley said. “Then you can remember the practice before [a game] and how excited you are for the game.”
Monday nights after a themed practice host another of volleyball traditions.
“Team dinners for home games are my favorite,” senior Sydney Cira-Debban said.
The dinners are hosted by the family of a player and are a great opportunity for the team to bond and make memories.
On the night of a home game, the members of the team line up outside the doors to the main gym. “Bring Em Out” by T.I. blasts from the speakers as the players run onto the court, high-fiving and cheering.
“I love when we run out,” senior Shayla Bissell said. “It really gets the adrenaline going.”
The Cougars have been running out to the song for all of Bissell’s varsity career and due to the adoration from fans and players, the tradition will continue for seasons to come.
Another tradition loved by the team is the annual “Cougar Challenge” which was created in 2022 as another way for the team to grow closer. Consisting of a variety of games arranged by the Volleyball Parent Support Group, the players compete in pairs to win points towards a mystery prize, encouraging teamwork through friendly competition.
To a spectator stopping by, many Cougar volleyball traditions would go unnoticed. But to the true fans of the sport, the starting lineup handshakes and T-shirt toss, players joining pinkies and swinging their arms during the national anthem and the various cheers from the student section make Kennedy volleyball games special.
One of the most attended and adored home games hosted by the Cougars is the annual Rally For Mental Health game. Cira-Debban brought the idea to Kennedy in 2022 when she chose to not play volleyball in order to take care of her own mental health.
“What made me start it was actually Prairie,” Cira-Debban said, “[They] held a ‘Strike Out the Stigma’ game so it was a similar concept but with volleyball instead of baseball and softball.”
Cira-Debban developed a T-shirt design and has created special shirts for the games each year they’ve been hosted. Along with shirts, awareness pamphlets and bracelet booths from the “I’m Glad You Stayed Project” are set up outside the gym.
“The ‘I’m Glad You Stayed Project’ from Iowa City has been coming to the event for both years now as well,” Cira-Debban said. “I usually just talk to them in the summer so they can get it on their calendars and are able to come.”
As this is Cira-Debban’s last year with the team, she will need to pass down the torch of hosting the mental health awareness night.
“I hope somebody will take it over once I graduate because I am not going to college in town so I don’t think I’ll be able to come back and make it all happen,” Cira-Debban said. “I know [mental health] is something that a lot of people struggle with. They don’t want to admit they aren’t okay, so [raising awareness] is really important to me.”
The Kennedy Volleyball Team not only forms tight bonds with one another through long-standing traditions but also pushes for real social change in an attempt to make their community a better place.
