How Sidney Keeps Their Edge

It's a known fact in the Panhandle that Sidney always has a strong Lady Raider Girls Volleyball program, and during the summer, you can see why. Sidney and Cheyenne County girls get exposed to volleyball at a young age through the Cheyenne County Community Center and in elementary school, and then the pace picks up in middle school. Besides the numerous camps around the area girls can attend, the Sidney Middle School girls also have an opportunity to hone and improve their volleyball skills right here in Sidney.

Girls entering 7th and 8th Grade this Fall are invited to attend the next two Volleyball Open Court sessions at Sidney High School. The next sessions are on July 6 and July 13, and both run between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sidney High School Volleyball Head Coach Julie Smith conducted the first session on June 29, and was pleased at the turnout. 16 girls were in the gym warming up with hitting and serving drills, getting ready to play a game together.

"A lot of these girls were at the Volleyball Camp earlier in the month, we had about 50 attendees," Smith said. "But they really didn't get a chance to play together, it was focused more on skills and drills. So today after this warm-up, they'll split up and play some games."

Watching the girls go through their hitting drills and warm ups, and knowing Sidney's passion for volleyball, it was certain that a few of the young ladies out on the court today will be future varsity stars for the Lady Raiders tomorrow. Continuing to work on their game before and after the volleyball season is what helps set Sidney apart from their competitors.

"These girls do a lot of work and it's what being a part of the Sidney volleyball family is like. Soon enough it will be August and we'll be in full swing again," said Smith. "Full Swing" for the Lady Raider teams, both Middle School and High School, means bad news for their competitors.