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10/20/2023 10:14 AMOnce Reese Brigance first grasped a volleyball, it was all systems go, as she hit the ground floor running and is now quickly ascending up the ranks as a resounding rookie phenom for the upstart North Branford volleyball team this fall.
Reese, a freshman for the Thunderbirds, tried her hand at dance, gymnastics, and softball before her mother signed her up for a volleyball camp at age 9 and, unlike her previous trial runs with the former sports, this one stuck. Flash ahead to freshman year after working diligently through various club teams and offseason camps, Reese has earned a starting spot on the varsity roster as an outside hitter for the T-Birds—leading the club in aces (40) and currently sitting fourth in the Shoreline Conference for kills at 109.
“I like how volleyball is very team centered and how each part of a play works with each other; you need the good pass for the good set and then the good kill. My parents have been a big part of my success with paying for all my years of club volleyball and my private lessons. They have also helped with the gym, nutrition, and helped me face new challenges,” says Reese. “High school varsity volleyball is different from what I had previously played. I was used to shorter matches and playing with girls my age I had known for a while. But I have gotten to meet new people and see new perspectives on the sport.”
Reese embraces the challenge of being a focal point of cultivating kills upfront for the North Branford offense. However, she also loves the rotational aspect of the sport and switching her alignment quite often over the course of each sequential set.
“I like being one of the hitters the setters have to go to, and I like receiving all different types of sets,” Reese says. “I like getting out of the system and moving around the court, because it helps me become a better all-around player. It can be a challenge playing the back row, especially if you are having an off day where you are not as strong in a certain skill, but you have to push through for your team.”
As Reese has already noticed a marked improvement in her basic yet essential skill sets from a physical standpoint, she explains that her mental game is simultaneously rounding well into form. Reese notes that she doesn’t let much self-doubt creep in if she makes an error on the court, instead staying in a constant mindset of forward motion.
“When I was younger, I would get mad when I played because I continuously made mistakes and got down on myself, which I have been working on,” Reese says. “My dad also taught me about compartmentalizing things and to forget mistakes and just fake it until you make it, which has helped me feel like I am doing good. I have been able to become more aware of the game, plus moving faster, jumping higher, and then getting stronger with my serving and passing.”
Though only in the early phases of her foray on the floor with North Branford volleyball, Reese aspires to keep the game within her heart, body, and soul well after graduation, while additionally establishing herself as a future ambassador and keyholder for the program.
“I would like to continue and play the sport in college and play for a school with good academics,” says Reese. “I would like to be a future leader on the team and maybe become a captain. College volleyball would benefit me because it would help me widen my horizons and meet new people.”
North Branford Head Coach Tori Ramada is astounded by Reese’s prodigious abilities within the white lines. She’s also amazed with Reese’s leadership qualities at such an early phase of the freshman’s athletic tenure.
“Reese has been an incredible addition to the team. Her drive and dedication has excelled beyond expectations as a freshman,” says Reese. “She is a natural-born leader, and we are extremely excited to see what else she can accomplish during her high school career.”
The Thunderbirds are taking flight toward what they hope will be a long-awaited return to the postseason and the State Tournament this year, yet no matter the wins and losses or the score of each match and set, Reese says they are approaching the game with great gratitude for both each other and the opportunity to storm the court.
“We just try to have fun on the court no matter how we are doing. We are always smiling and talking to each other in our huddles,” says Reese. “We always try to support one another, especially if someone is getting upset with them self. We tell them to just shake it off, and that they will do better on the next point.”