Photos: Future West Rusk volleyball players lock in for summer camp

Published 6:34 pm Thursday, July 17, 2025

By Audrey Blaschke

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West Rusk held three days of Lady Raider summer volleyball camp for incoming 9th grade and junior high players July 14-16, 2025. Pictured is the 9th grade camp practicing. (Audrey Blaschke/The Henderson News)

NEW LONDON — The newest class of West Rusk Lady Raider volleyball players were hard at work in summer camp this week.

Divided into a 7th and 8th grade camp and one for incoming freshmen for two hours a day Monday to Wednesday, campers were guided by the Lady Raiders’ head coach Melissa Abrams on how to properly pass, set, hit and serve in drills and mini scrimmages. The freshmen session was especially focused on transitioning the group from junior high to the higher standards high school level volleyball.

In particular, Abrams worked on better communication between teammates on the court.

“Day one, we were really quiet, so we really had worked on talking. If it’s my ball, I want someone to say mine and the other two girls to say yours or go,” said Abrams. “Our setters are really working on saying help or when they will get the ball. Our hitters are trying to transition on and off… It’s a completely different and faster pace.”

The freshmen group had 20 girls—two were campers visiting from Houston but the rest are Lady Raiders. Abrams says it’s one of the biggest freshmen classes she’s had in six years and its a group sparking with talent and excitement to play.

“I hope they are,” Abrams said when asked if she thinks these younger players were inspired by the achievements of the 2024 Lady Raiders who won an area championship for the first time in school history and nearly upset state finalist Boyd in a five-set regional semifinal. “And I hope my girls are ready to go on and go past that round. I want history again.”

The varsity team had four seniors graduate last year—Carlie Buckner, Keke Murphy, Isabella Mata and Jalah Newton—but is still stacked with experienced returners like Hannah Haffner, Kamyah Lacy, Irelind Hunt, Kimora Pryor, Paisley Smith, Kenlee Reasoner, Kara King and Lyric McCandless. With a lot of promising talent among the freshmen, Abrams anticipates one or two could end up joining the varsity for a few games this season.

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