Cardinals Touched the Sky: A Season Recap

Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer who once said that “great things have small beginnings.” While he likely spoke from his experiences on his voyages across the world, these words serve as a reminder that humble beginnings can lead to meaningful success. Our QHSS Girls Varsity Volleyball team started last year as a small group of girls playing on borrowed nets from York College to a team with robust chemistry and the fire to win every game with the help of Coach Mondo. The team achieved an outstanding 7-3 win/loss this season—advancing to playoffs in the first two years of being a team. Despite facing defeat in the second and third round both years, the team has great hopes for the season to come.

While team sports such as volleyball require teamwork and utilizing every player, this season highlights two outstanding seniors whose contributions were significant and whose achievements will always have a mark on the team. 

Senior Rachel De Paula describes leaving the team as “bittersweet” but “only sees the team growing as the years progress” considering that she has experienced the growth of the team. De Paula has been on the team for the two years since its founding. She describes her experience as not only an athletic development, but personal growth as well; her communication and stress management skills have grown from playing with other players due to being under pressure, especially with quick thinking situations in the last couple of points. 

Her perseverance on and off the court makes De Paula such an important asset to the volleyball team. For instance, one of De Paula’s season highlights is her 11 consecutive aces which she describes as “tiring”, but she is “extremely proud” of this accomplishment that shook the match as a whole. While the returning players for the next season are sad to see her go, we’re proud of how much she has accomplished and hope for nothing but the best for her future!

Furthermore, manager Andrew Han, while not being a player, played a memorable role in the success of the QHSS Girls Varsity Volleyball team. Han’s favorite experience on the team is watching the team win, describing the games as “filled with action and exciting.” The stressful moments that Han notes during his time as the manager are during the QHSS vs. Gateway games where the scores always go into overtime and are close, mentioning how he’s always ready to cheer on the team during each intense rally. 

Compared to the beginning of the year, Han has noticed increased support on the management team, as the number of managers has grown since last year. This has allowed Han to focus more on gameplay rather than other components of  the game, with the help of fellow managers Chris Rodriguez (12), Shengbin Jin (12), Fatima Siddiqua (11), Iris Park (11), and Zusheng Luo (10). Without Andrew Han as the head manager, this team would have not been as well organized and supported—forever leaving his mark on the team. 

Last but not the least, Coach Jose Mondestin (Mondo) commends the team for their fearlessness, spirit, and perseverance through difficult or easy opponents. Considering that this team has been around for only two years, Lady Cardinals don’t have as much experience as other teams. In spite of this, Coach Mondo successfully bound the team together, giving the team as much chemistry and motivation as a team of 20 years. Players describe Coach Mondo as encouraging and always there to cheer on the team with his uplifting words and smiles on the court and he will forever be cherished as the team’s best supporter!

Success is not an individual achievement, but a group effort that requires everyone’s desire to succeed—the Lady Cardinals exhibit these characteristics and more. From humble beginnings to a strong presence on the court, every player has made a mark on QHSS’s community and brought pride to our school. As the QHSS Girls’ Volleyball team faces a new season of undefeated opponents and challenges, they move forward ready to test their limits, raising the question: how high can they fly?