Tekamah-Herman hoping experience leads to successful season

Team: Tekamah-Herman

Mascot: Tigers

Colors: Purple and Vegas Gold

Class: C-1

Head Coach: Becky Rennerfeldt

2014 record: 12-19

Returning Starters: 7


Overview:

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers have to be feeling optimistic about the 2015 season given all the starters they return.


Tekamah-Herman returns seven starters, but will have to replace setter Taylor McLaughlin.

Setter is a very important position as a setter impacts every offensive set for their respective team.

It's super critical that the Tigers find a setter who can consistently make good passes and set up the offense for success.

As long as Tekamah-Herman settles their setter situation, look for the Tigers to have a better season than last year.

Tekamah-Herman has a lot of returning experience, and that should help them throughout the season.

The Tigers have to be better offensively and defensively though. Head Coach Becky Rennerfeldt says her squad needs to eliminate hitting errors and improve their defense.

Tekamah-Herman simply has to become more consistent offensively, and has to put good swings on the ball every time they hit it.

The more solid hits and contact the Tigers have and make, the more successful they will be this season.

Tekamah-Herman has to be solid in the serve receive game. If the Tigers can limit the number of aces their opponents score on them, they will be in a better position to win each set they play.

Teamwork will be important for Tekamah-Herman this season. The Tigers have to work hard in practice every day, communicate in practice and during matches, get along with one another, and most importantly work together as one.

Tekamah-Herman has to bring it every day in practice and every evening they have matches. The Tigers have to execute at a high level offensively and defensively if they want to have more success this season than they did last season.

Tekamah-Herman struggled at the end of last season so they will have to find a way to generate some positive momentum heading into this season.

The Tigers are certainly capable of doing that. I really think Tekamah-Herman has a chance to be more successful this season than they were last season.

Only time will tell how good this team can be.


Season Outlook:

With seven returning starters and only one starter to replace the Tekamah-Herman Tigers have to like their chances of picking up some quality wins this season.

Tekamah-Herman should have a fairly decent chance at beating the likes of Twin River, Logan View, West Point-Beemer, Madison, Oakland-Craig, Pender, Scribner-Snyder, Archbishop Bergan, and Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

The Tigers will really be challenged by teams like Stanton, Arlington, North Bend Central, Wisner-Pilger, and Howells-Dodge.

Tekamah-Herman doesn't have an overly difficult schedule, although the Tigers could draw some quality opponents in some of the tournaments they are scheduled to play in this season.

The schedule really sets up nicely for Tekamah-Herman to have success, although the Tigers will still have to work hard and earn their points, set wins, and match wins.

Rennerfeldt says she hopes depth doesn't hurt her team. "We are really low in overall numbers this year so it will be a challenge for our experienced players to be pushed. Hope we can overcome that challenge and continue to improve from last season."

With that said, Tekamah-Herman can ill afford any injuries this year. The Tigers have to remain healthy and injury free to maximize their potential.

Knowing there's not a lot of other options, the starters have to take it upon themselves to perform. Tekamah-Herman's starters have to take the situation as a personal challenge to succeed.

Every starter and bench player has to step up in some form this season. Bench players have to be ready to see the floor should there be a need to put them in the game.

It will be interesting to see if the Tigers can handle the pressure this season. Tekamah-Herman isn't in the toughest sub district so a district final is not out of the question.

If the Tigers can play to their potential and improve as the season goes along, they have the potential to do some special things. But if Tekamah-Herman folds under pressure, under performs in practice and in matches, and doesn't do the little things necessary to win, it could be a disappointing season.

I don't think that will be the case though. I feel there's too much experience and talent on this team for this season to go down the drain. I think the Tigers will definitely be above .500 at the end of this season.


2015 Tekamah-Herman Tigers Volleyball Schedule:

09/08/15	Twin River	C2
09/08/15	Logan View	C1
09/12	(To Be Determined)
09/15/15	@ West Point-Beemer	C1
09/19	(To Be Determined)
09/22/15	Madison	C1
09/29/15	Stanton	C2
09/29/15	Oakland-Craig	C2
10/01/15	Arlington	C1
10/03	(To Be Determined)
10/06/15	Pender	D1
10/08/15	@ North Bend Central	C1
10/13/15	@ Wisner-Pilger	C2
10/15-10/17	(To Be Determined)
10/20/15	Scribner-Snyder	D2
10/20/15	Archbishop Bergan	D1
10/22/15	@ Howells-Dodge	D1
10/27/15	Lyons-Decatur Northeast	D1