Guest Column: Appomattox continues to defy the odds in sports

The odds of defeating Glenvar High School, James River High School, Ridgeview High School, Gate City High School, and Bruton High School by any other team besides Appomattox were slim and none, and slap just left the room.

The whole approach of coaching Appomattox High School volleyball changed after Appomattox was soundly defeated by Gate City High School in last year’s regionals. The five-and-a-half-hour trip one-way to Gate City took a toll on our team that was seemingly impossible to overcome. Not so with Appomattox — the coaches, namely Mark Drinkard, head coach, and Heath Drinkard, assistant coach, and Jeff Shirley, assistant coach, decided on the long trip back home from Gate City to change their approach on the upcoming 2023 season. Their approach emphasized mental toughness and being physically able to handle any situation that would crop up during the 2023 season.

Oh, how the new approach showed its face in every game during the season, and in the regionals. The girls were taught to fear no one or no team, as they possessed just as much talent as the other teams. Oh, how the girls bought into this philosophy. At no time in any game were they intimidated, and at no time in any game did they feel outmatched by an opposing team’s talent.

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