Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Going into her second year as the volleyball coach at Roaring Fork High School, Karen Crownhart will do all she can to help her team achieve victory on the court. But, with only one returning senior starter and a handful of young hopefuls, Crownhart will initially turn her attention to shaping all the individuals under her watch into a cohesive unit that can thrive when volleyball game action arrives.
“My main concern at the beginning of the season is to develop our team atmosphere,” said Crownhart, who lost a bevy of talented seniors to graduation last year. “I’m not going to put an emphasis on wins and losses early on in our schedule. I want to help the kids understand the value of sports and working together as a team.
“I do have high hopes for this group, but I’m not focused on being in any particular spot in the league,” she added.
The lone returning starter for the Rams is senior libero Bella Lee. Crownhart will also count on significant production from her daughter, Letey Crownhart, who is a junior setter. Another junior, Sydney Schramer, will also need to contribute to the Roaring Fork cause as a middle hitter.
Crownhart looks for Aspen, Coal Ridge, Cedaredge and Delta to be the teams vying for the top spot in the 3A Western Slope League. Once things begin to click for her team on the court in Carbondale, Crownhart is hoping the Rams can give all of the above mentioned squads a run for their money.
“I’m always excited to see the girls come back to the gym for a new season,” Crownhart said. “They have a year of growth, and they are bigger, stronger and better.”
The Rams will open their 2019 volleyball season Saturday on the road at the Soroco tournament.