Over the loudspeaker, the announcement rang out: “Today’s game is going to be electric!” 

The various voices of the Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team chimed in, encouraging the students to attend that afternoon’s playoff match against Bogota. Mr. Massaro closed the announcement, wishing Coach Laura Germano and the entire team good luck.

The Fall 2022 Volleyball season at Cresskill High School was extremely successful with a 19 to 6 final standing, winning against strong teams like Emerson and Dwight-Englewood. Despite being a head coach for the first time, the girls have Coach Germano to thank in-part for their outstanding performance, as well as their driven dedication throughout the season.

At first, as Coach Germano was not used to coaching the volleyball team at the Varsity level, it took time for her to adapt to and understand each girl’s playing style. However, as a Varsity Softball Coach for the Spring season, Germano was well-prepared for these adjustments, and continued to emphasize her idea that, “you have to trust each other, and if you don’t trust me, it’s never going to work.” Although it seemed like a lot of pressure from an outside perspective, Coach Germano handled it very well, and was truly able to exert her notable coaching capabilities throughout the season.

Advancing into the semi-finals round against Emerson towards the end of the season, the girls’ mindsets were filled primarily with angst, but also thrill. “This year, we gave them their first loss during the season…everyone thought it was a fluke that we beat them,” Coach Germano remarked. Considering how Emerson has always been a major rival against Cresskill, winning this match was extremely vital.

“I was nervous going into that game, because I wanted to make it to the state final,” Germano remarked. Fortunately for her, she was elated to witness a 2-0 win against Emerson, scoring a close draw of 25-21 in both sets, and ultimately progressing the team to the first state championship since 2003 against Bogota.

Going into this final match, Germano maintained flexibility with her mindset―she knew that the team had nothing to lose, but also anticipated a win from her girls. Despite playing against a renowned tough team, the Lady Cougars still persevered and scored some great points, but unfortunately lost with a final score of 0-2. Although the final draw was not as electrifying as the team had hoped, they are still grateful for the exhilarating support they had received throughout the match, especially since it was able to bring the whole school together overall.

The girls were able to have the best record at Cresskill since 2009, ultimately revealing how Germano’s cogent sense of dedication and passion was able to get the Cresskill Volleyball Team back on their feet.

Considering her experience as a coach for Varsity Softball, Germano utilized her advanced coaching skills in order to ensure that the volleyball girls had a notable season, especially for the senior girls to leave behind a great legacy. Germano remains proud and grateful for what her girls were able to accomplish throughout this season―especially highlighting seniors Amber Dangelico, Angelina Doto, Danielle Villani, Eryn Hong, Evan Kostylo, Jacklyn Dunay and Keely Morrissey who were able to make this season so remarkable for her, and she applauds them for their fierce efforts. Now that she has obtained a stronger understanding of coaching Varsity Volleyball, she looks forward to coaching upcoming seasons and is determined to make the team even stronger.