After a successful junior season, Wichita Northwest volleyball player Karissa Patterson is eager to return to the court and see what she and her teammates can accomplish this fall.
Patterson is especially looking forward to the competitive nature of the Wichita City League, including Northwest’s first home match of the season against Carroll and Kapaun Mount Carmel.
“For the upcoming season I am most excited to get back on the court and compete with my teammates,” Patterson said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how much we can improve throughout the season and building on all that we accomplished last year.”
The early-season matchup against Carroll and Kapaun is one Patterson has circled on the calendar.
“I am especially excited to play Carroll and Kapaun for our first home game of the season,” she said. “Those are two of the toughest teams in our city league and always the best games of the year to play in.”
Patterson spent the offseason preparing both physically and mentally for another demanding season. Her work included conditioning, strength training and skill development, while also challenging herself to improve in areas that gave her trouble last season.
“I’ve focused on my conditioning, strength, and improving my skills,” Patterson said. “I’ve also spent time getting out of my comfort zone by practicing the things I struggled with last season so I can be more confident when those situations come up during games.”
Patterson also added sand volleyball to her offseason training, using it as another way to improve her endurance.
One of her biggest goals entering the season is becoming more consistent in serve receive and defense. Patterson worked with some of her former teammates during the offseason to get additional repetitions and build confidence.
“Some ways I have worked in that area during the offseason is getting plenty of reps with some of my past teammates and focusing more on trusting myself in those positions,” Patterson said. “I know that improving takes time, so I want to continue working on it throughout the entire season.”
Patterson enters the season after producing 240 kills and a .216 hitting percentage last year. She ranked seventh in Class 6A in kills and added 205 digs, which ranked 13th in the Greater Wichita Athletic League.
Her efforts earned Patterson GWAL honorable mention recognition and a spot on the Kansas Volleyball Association All-Academic First Team.
This season, Patterson has set specific statistical goals while also placing an emphasis on leadership.
“Some of my individual goals for this season are to obtain a 0.300 hitting percentage, pass at least a 2.4 serve receive, and most importantly be a good leader and teammate,” she said.
As a team, Patterson hopes Northwest can return to the state tournament and compete near the top of the City League standings.
“As a team, we would love to make it back to the state tournament, place top three in city league, and be a high-achieving academic team,” Patterson said. “We want to win as many games as possible, but I also want us to enjoy the season and make memories together.”
To nominate someone for a story email [email protected]
