Sedgwick’s Ella Vondracek – Athlete Spotlight

The upcoming volleyball season is an opportunity to return to the court, compete alongside her teammates and continue pushing to become a more complete player for Sedgwick’s Ella Vondracek.

“I am most excited about getting back on the court and competing with my teammates,” Vondracek said. “I enjoy playing with the girls on my team and for my coaches.”

Vondracek spent the offseason preparing for the demands of another season. She worked individually on her hitting, blocking and passing while also taking part in team activities designed to build chemistry and improve the Cardinals as a whole.

Sedgwick attended the Nebraska team camp over the summer, where Vondracek said the team gained valuable experience and new ideas to take into the season.

“We gained a lot of useful information and new tips to try,” she said.

Vondracek also spent the summer working on speed, agility and strength. Those workouts helped her develop her explosiveness and endurance, two areas she hopes will translate to the court.

One of Vondracek’s primary individual goals this season is to become more efficient as an offensive player. She identified hitting as the area of her game she most wants to improve.

“I would like to improve my hitting this year,” Vondracek said. “I feel like I could be more efficient in my offensive game.”

Along with improving her hitting efficiency, Vondracek wants to increase her serving percentage and collect more blocks during the season.

But her goals extend beyond individual statistics. Vondracek believes strong communication and positive energy will be important ingredients for Sedgwick’s success.

“As a team my goal is to have a high level of communication and energy,” she said. “Teams are successful due to their communication together and ability to support each other, celebrating and building up each other.”

With the preparation complete and the season approaching, Vondracek has high expectations for what Sedgwick can accomplish. She hopes the Cardinals can compete for a league championship and earn another opportunity to play at the state tournament.

“I would love to see our team win the league and make it back to state,” Vondracek said.

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