Girls and boys Columbus School Volleyball teams ACCAS invitational tournament scheduled for February has been canceled due to rising COVID cases and they are now preparing for an undetermined future tournament.

The ACCAS invitational tournament was the first multi-school sports event planned since February 2020 before the pandemic. While the volleyball teams are in a state of limbo they are still showing their spirit and training hard. 

“I do feel a little nervous because I feel like I haven’t played a game in so long, but I also feel really excited because since I haven’t played in so long, I really missed the sport,” Daniela Cataldo, Girls  Volleyball Captain, said.

Even though they were disappointed ACCAS tournament was postponed the teams claim more experience and game time is needed to face the challenges needed to succeed in the games.

“Now more than ever, we need more practice. The coaches are more motivated to find different teams to play here in Medellin, and for each of us to get more practice and be ready for binationals,” Cataldo said.

 But damage has already been done.  The year and a half pandemic has hurt the team’s chemistry and abilities. Many newcomers have not had enough time to join the team and the community surrounding it.

“I think that because we had the pandemic and we had like, a year and a half or something over us. We’re really unprepared at the moment and we’re still getting to know each other as a team. but I think with practice and games we will eventually become more united,” Cataldo said.

There is also concern on the Boys Volleyball Team that the pandemic set the team back more than they anticipated with some players not participating in a tournament since 7th grade. The lack of experience could be a great obstacle for the team.

 “I feel nervous and that we’re not completely prepared. It was mostly because of COVID and the restrictions,” Jeronimo Botero, Boys Volleyball Player, said.

The coach of the Girls Volleyball Team believes that this will be both a challenging and a learning experience for the team. While the team is optimistic, the lack of experience could be a big challenge.

“There are a lot of girls who love to compete and play, and they show that in each practice. They also show a lot of grit, as they always want to win everything on the court,” Nestor Alzate, Girls Volleyball Head Coach, said.

Even though tensions are high both teams are determined to make a good impression for the TCS Tigers.

“We have always learned that organization and respect is the first thing that we have to do, to be able to manage the team because those are the biggest pillars to be able to work as a team. So if the team is really organized and we all respect each other, we are able to construct a team that is really solid to be able to play with other teams,” Simon Murillo, Boys Volleyball Captian, said.