Last season wasn’t a typical season for the Wooster High volleyball team as it ended with a losing record. That is something that veteran coach Jen Snowbarger hopes to change this year.

Snowbarger will have to fill some key positions off that 10-13 squad, notably with the loss of All-Ohioan Cameron DalPra. With six returning letter winners and some talented younger players, Snowbarger hopes to move back over the .500 mark in the competition Ohio Cardinal Conference.

“We have five seniors, but the key to those five seniors is three are strictly defense and two are setters and one is a hitter,” said Snowbarger. “That leads to a lot of freshmen and sophomore hitters in the rotation, which creates youth and creates developing a lineup difficult this early in the season.

“Every one of our scrimmages have been a different lineup and it’s worked for that day. To predict how the season will be is hard, but when you have youth and think you are going to stick with the same lineup, it’s crazy to think that.”

Snowbarger and the Generals will have had a month of preseason before the season opens August 27, which has its pros and cons.

“Out of four weeks of preseason, you get used to what needs to be accomplished in the preseason,” she said. “With another week of no games and no school (this year) you spread things out more. You can lose the focus of the girls, but you use different approaches to get through it. You learn a lot as a coach as to what the girls can handle.”

Those five seniors, along with sophomore Syd Logee, all lettered last year and that group will be critical for the Generals’ success this year and Snowbarger has been satisfied with the progress shown.

“Right now, Emily Crawford is not coming off the court,” said Snowbarger. “She has done a great job showing leadership. She is our best hitter right now and she’s setting well and passing well. She will be that leader on the court, as a senior does. So, with that, the question is where do I put everyone else? In volleyball, once you start with a lineup, you can’t change until it’s over. Midway you can’t say, ‘this isn’t working,’ and put something else in. That’s why getting the right lineups are so crucial.”

Another plus is the return of Brittany Nicholson, who returns as setter from last season. “She is used to being on the court and running the court,” said Snowbarger. “Add senior to that and captain, and she’s done a good job of leading us.

“Aimee Burgess is our libero right now and our other captain. Aimee does a great job. She is one of our team leaders on offense and a leader on defense. She does a good job talking. Things just click as a senior.

“Carmen Soranno and Jenna Gingery are both defenders. Both of them are playing roles and doing a good job,” said Snowbarger.

Logee broke into the lineup last year as a freshman as an outside hitter, gaining valuable experience and maturity for this year. “This year she has accepted more responsibility on the court and could be one of more go-to players,” said Snowbarger.

The key for this year will be how quickly the freshmen and sophomores grow into their roles, as they will be critical in pumping up the offense.

“When you play youth you see the potential,” said Snowbarger. “You see where they are at and how they are striving to get to their potential. It’s not going to happen overnight with any players. We’re not returning a lot offense; we’re returning a lot defense and we know what they’ll give you. On offense, it’s harder to figure out what we’ll have. I do see a lot of potential in a lot of kids.”

Of course, playing in one of Ohio’s top volleyball conferences means that Wooster has to be on top of its game every match if it wants to win.

“It is hard. Something that is always good is that our league is tough, but I also think that day in and day out we have to play or we’ll get in trouble with the outcome,” said Snowbarger. “Hopefully we’ll learn as the season goes on and we’ll deal with it.”

Wooster opened its season August 27 at Massillon.