Lauren Vitarisi has been drawn to the break-neck feel of a volleyball match. So through those experiences, she has learned how to keep her head on a swivel, think fast, and set the table for her teammates to succeed.

Lauren, also a member of the North Branford softball team, started out on the diamond at the age of 4 and then graduated to travel softball around four years later. Yet around sixth grade, she wanted to branch herself out and explore new endeavors athletically. She decided to try volleyball and has stuck with it ever since. This year, Lauren is a critical junior member of the Thunderbirds as a setter and has set up the girls to a 4-3 record thus far.

“I really enjoy being on a team, but volleyball is just a really different type of game from softball. I enjoy playing it, and it is more fast-paced than softball,” says Lauren. “One thing I have learned from volleyball that has helped me in softball is thinking on my feet because the game is so fast. When the ball is hit to you, you have to think fast and know what to do with it. I have also learned the importance of teamwork and communication from both. Hard work also pays off. When you start a new sport in sixth grade, middle school volleyball is more relaxed than high school. So you have to ask those important questions to coaches and teammates to get better, and you also have to put in practice outside of the team.”

The Thunderbirds run the perfect scheme for Lauren to run the length of the court. While she knows it can be pressure-packed to stay on top of her game for the benefit of others, she is drawn to the elation on her colleagues’ faces after successes.

“We run a 6-2 formation, so I am able to play some defense. I like being able to play both sides of the ball. It is also great seeing the joy on the girls’ faces after a big kill that you helped to set up and knowing that you can all work together,” Lauren says. “Working with my teammates is good, but it can be challenging at times. You have to make sure you are doing your job in order to help your teammates do theirs.”

In her head, Lauren knows no one is ever happy following miscues. But the benefit of the frenetic pace of volleyball is that the chance to atone for the misfire is just around the bend, and she attacks that opportunity with glee.

“My mental game is something that has definitely gotten better over the years,” says Lauren. “You of course will be upset after you make a mistake. Yet I know that I have many chances to come right back and that I am human and make mistakes. I just stay positive and know I have to come back with a good kill or dig. I have gotten better at the physical skills like passing, setting, and serving, but there is always room for improvement, so I will keep working.”

The building blocks of the campaign started indoors through the sweltering heat. Yet those moments cultivated a cool atmosphere for the fall where each member of the team feels comfortable to express themselves.

“We started training for the season with conditioning in mid-July, so we were seeing each other three times a week and building relationships,” says Lauren. “We only graduated a senior from last year’s team, so we pretty much have the same team this year. Knowing each other really helps with communication and being able to talk freely about things and encourage others.”

The girls return much of the same in personnel for the 2024 run. With that being said, they look to keep cohesion at an all-time high. While Lauren is part of a softball squad having won the last nine Shoreline crowns, the volleyball club is also steadily building up the momentum going forward to make North Branford a volleyball powerhouse.

“Off the court, our coach is big on camaraderie and building relationships outside of school, so we are focused on that,” says Lauren. “In terms of on the court, we want to get better day by day. North Branford has not been a big volleyball school in the past, so we appreciate the potential we have here to go far. Yet we are just taking things day by day at this point.”

Tori Ramada, North Branford’s volleyball Head Coach, recalls that Lauren took advantage of an opportunity to fill a void and ran with it. Since then, she has carried herself as a well-read and respected competitor.

“Lauren has played a pivotal role on the court over the past two years. As a freshman, she stepped up as a setter on the court while our starting setter was injured and has dominated ever since,” says Ramada. “She works well with her teammates and has a lot of knowledge of the game. Her character and sportsmanship is admirable, and she is a natural born leader on and off the court. It has been a pleasure to watch her grow as a player, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for her in both her junior and senior year.”

Personally, through her travels on multiple terrains with the T-Birds, Lauren has grasped the importance of representing yourself. She has also unearthed the importance of sticking things out with diligence.

“One big thing I have learned through being an athlete is advocating for yourself and learning how to express yourself in a certain way to coaches and teammates. I have also learned it is important to not be afraid to speak up, along with the importance of hard work and making a commitment.”