PILOT MOUNTAIN — East Surry High School hosted a pair of summer volleyball camps recently, with mornings set aside for beginning players while the afternoon sessions were reserved for youths with team experience.

The morning sessions were held July 12-15 for beginning players from first through eighth grades, with some 30 girls taking part in the program.

According to East Surry Coach Deborah Voigt, basic volleyball skills were taught each day, including forearm passing, overhead passing/setting, serve-receive and free ball defense. Highlights included a Wednesday serving competition with each girl taking part.

On the final day of camp, participants were placed on one of four teams with names taken from the Atlantic Coast Conference schools. Teams then participated in a round robin tournament, playing each opponent two sets to 25 points. Teams were coached by members of the 2009 East Surry Volleyball teams, East Surry volleyball alumni and other volunteer coaches.

After the Thursday tournament, an awards program was held in front of parents, grandparents and friends of participants. Tournament winners were the Demon Deacons, coached by East Surry juniors Katelyn Markle and Madison Jessup. Team members were Abby Stroud (sixth grade), Madison Upchurch (third grade), Lauren Knopf (second grade), Alyssa Lackey (7th grade), Avery Tucker (third grade), Sami Marion (sixth grade) and Claudia Tucker (sixth grade). “Top Server” award was presented to Allie Bruner (third grade).

Each afternoon session featured an “intermediate camp” for some 25 rising seventh through tenth grade girls, all with previous volleyball experience.

Voigt said players were given a review of basic volleyball skills including forearm passing and overhead passing as well as setting, serving, hitting and blocking. Advanced instruction was also provided on offensive and defensive systems including serve-receive, transition, free ball defense, rotational defense, perimeter defense and “down ball” defense.

On Wednesday and Thursday, girls participated in serving, passing, setting and hitting competitions with winners in each category receiving a trophy during an end-of-day awards ceremony. Kristel Hicinbothem claimed top server while Hayley Whitaker won top hitter. Sydney Mosley took the top passer award and Emily Cummings claimed top setter.

Also on Thursday, girls were placed on teams for an intermediate round robin tournament, following a similar format to that used for beginners. Awards immediately followed the tournament. The Carolina Tar Heels team, coached by Nathallie Chavez and Brooke Bowman, took the team-play championship. Team participants included Anna McMillian, Mollie Davis, Emily Cummings, Laken Bowman, Jessi Marion and Kristel Hicinbothem.

Voigt voiced her appreciation to the following individuals for assisting with camp: her husband and Pilot Mountain Middle School Coach Byron Voigt; East Surry Volleyball alumni including Caitlin Voigt, Tia Joyce and Lindsay Ray; 2009 East Surry Volleyball team members Keri Fulp, Katelyn Markle, Madison Jessup, Yaritza Chavez, Brooke Bowman, Jessica Barker, Ashley Smith, Emilee Balthis, Nathallie Chavez and Lindsay Marinan; Surry Storm Volleyball Club Coach Caleb Gilley; East Surry Assistant Volleyball Coach Brandy Johnson; and Lois Tilley, concessions and volleyball apparel sales.

“It was amazing how coachable the younger girls were,” Voigt said, “and how quickly they caught on to skills we were teaching during camp. The girls were like sponges — they wanted to work on their new skills and become better volleyball players. The gym was filled with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm about volleyball.

“It was also nice to have parents there on the last day of camp,” she continued, “to watch and observe what their daughter had learned during the four days of camp.”