During the offseason, the Liberty volleyball team made changes in its coaching staff. This January, Coach Jessica Hauptmann (she/her) was hired as the head varsity coach. She previously worked at Webber International University, acting as the head coach for five years.
So far this season, Hauptmann has created weekly goals for the team. One theme added to the team’s “goal tree” is culture, representing a strategic shift on and off the court, with Hauptmann emphasizing progress and positivity.
“We’re building a new culture. That’s the word that I would use to describe our team. Culture around the girls and to inspire them to give their all,” Hauptmann said.
One thing that helped Hauptmann settle into her new role was the help from upperclassmen., Lucy Maassen (she/her), 12, is an important leader on the team. With a season-ending ACL tear last year, Maassen was ready to get back into the gym, despite her limited playing ability.
“I was team captain last year. This year, we’re doing a little bit of a different role, but I still would say I’m more of a leader for the team. Even if I’m not on the court, I’ve been calling myself assistant coach,” Maassen said.
Sydney Van Heukelom (she/her), 11, has been playing on varsity since her freshman year.
“Positive energy and focus in the gym every day. Overall, it just feels like we’re all working towards a common goal: going to state,” Van Huekelom said.
With these leaders supporting Hauptmann’s vision, the team is working to minimize distractions.
“The whole team is still working on getting in there and pushing out all the outside other contributing factors and just focusing on the play at hand,” Maasen said.
As the season progresses, Liberty aims to capitalize on this fresh energy and culture to improve its record and foster growth throughout the roster. Under Hauptmann’s guidance, the Lightning are striving to qualify for state.
