STAC VOLLEYBALL: WAVERLY'S ROTE EXCITED BY NUMBERS, DIRECTION OF PROGRAM (15 PHOTOS) (August 26, 2026)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportWAVERLY — Waverly volleyball coach Hailee Rote is entering her fourth season leading the program and is excited by their numbers and the direction of the program as preparation for the 2026 season begins.
"This is the most we've had in the four years I've been here," said Rote. "We have almost 40 that we're trying out.
"The best part is it's all competitive," she noted. "Before we've had a lot of kids that we've taken to fill rosters, and at this point, we're really looking for kids who are competitive.
"They were at open gyms all summer, open gyms all spring with like 20 to 25 kids at every practice," she said. We'll keep 12 to 14 on varsity and JV.
"I'm very excited about our number. It's been really fun," Rote added. "We have a really, really good group of girls. The energy is good, and their work ethic is good."
Rote also opens the preseason with a pair of new faces in 5-11 juniors Lauryn Welles, a state qualifier in swimming last year, and Kendall Rockwell, who started on the soccer team the last two years.
"We've done a lot to build culture in our program, and it seems to be something that kids want to be a part of," she said.
Rote said the numbers on the modified team are very good, and the interest in the youth level has also been exciting.
"We're around 20 on the modified, and we just pulled up six 7th- and 8th-graders to the JV team," she said.
"We did a youth program in the spring, and had 60 kids — first through sixth grade — there," noted Rote.
"We're just trying to build the program, and as we do that, more kids want to play," she added. "It's exciting."
Rote said the focus this preseason has been winning.
"Until now, we've been on the path of building the program," she said. "Now we're working on competition. We're going into the season, and we're no longer in a re-building phase.
"We are going into the season wanting to compete and win games," noted Rote. "It's all about being competitive and competing.
Waverly opens the 2026 campaign next Wednesday at Unadilla Valley, and plays it first home match Thursday against Groton.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly coach Hailee Rote. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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