By: Olivia McCown –

The score is tied. A close game has the crowd on the edge of their seats. Parents are biting their nails as little girls in the audience watch in awe while they stuff popcorn into their gaping mouths. But senior Peyton Rhode knows, win or lose, her team will have her back.

“When I was younger, I used to watch high school volleyball and I was like ‘Oh, I want to be like them,’” said Rhode. A volleyball veteran, Rhode has been playing volleyball ever since she was in fifth grade, and has been on the varsity team at Southeast for two years now.

“Our first game [this season], we played East,” said Rhode. “They played really well, and so that one didn’t go as planned. But we played North Star last night [Sept. 12] and it went really well.”

Every year, the varsity volleyball coach, Theresa Nauman, chooses a theme for the season. This year, Nauman announced the theme to be #playforher.

“[#Playforher means], play for your teammates, play for the girl next to you, play for the little girl watching you, wanting to be like you when she grows up, but also playing for people who dream about getting the opportunity that you have,” said Rhode.

The varsity team has a sense of teamwork like no other, which makes them work well together both in and out of the game.

“The four seniors have actually been playing together since like 7th grade, so we’re all best friends,” said Rhode. “Everyone on the team is super fun so we just all mix really well together.”

There have only been two varsity games so far, but the season has only just begun. Come out and support the team at the Varsity LPS Volleyball Classic, at Southeast, on Friday, Sept. 15th, at 3 pm.