The Pittsburg High School volleyball team had their first opportunity to play in a jamboree on Aug. 24. This was the first season any school could host a jamboree. 

In the past, the volleyball team participated in the Purple and White Scrimmage where the teams just played against each other. This year, the jamboree featured Frontenac, Colgan, and Fort Scott and each school played two sets against each team. The first to get 15 points won the set. 

Ashlen Riggs, head volleyball coach, thoroughly prepared her team for the jamboree. 

“The preparation for this season (and the jamboree) started back on May 31st when the girls began attending strength & conditioning, open gyms, summer league games, etc,” Riggs said. “We treated the jamboree like any other competition and just worked on controlling our side of the court, being disciplined and being fundamentally sound.”

Riggs believes the jamboree was a great event because of Jeff Staley and Aaron Burns, who were in charge of communicating with teams and officials, players who competed from all teams, and the community who came to show support.

“I thought the jamboree was exciting for our players, coaching staff and community,” Riggs said. “It was a good way for the girls to showcase their skills while also showing us which areas we still need to improve on.”

Now that the volleyball team has gotten to experience a jamboree, there are distinct similarities and differences between jamborees and regular season games. 

“They are similar in the sense that we get to have the opportunity to go compete against another team, but they don’t count toward anyone’s record,” Riggs said. “Jamborees are a chance for the girls to get some of their “first game jitters” out of the way and play in front of spectators in a formal setting so that when they go into their first real competition they are ready to perform.”

According to Riggs, the jamboree set the tone for the season. It showed what the team had to work on, such as making less unforced mistakes. Also, it gave everyone an opportunity to demonstrate their individual strengths. 

“It gets the girls excited and fired up about the opportunity to compete, which is ultimately why they play,” Riggs said. “The more this group of girls can be on a court together and just play volleyball, the better they’re going to be. They have a lot of potential and I think every time they step on the floor they are able to build on that.”