Polk’s annual llabyellov tourney offers fun – and again proves teachers rule

Polk County High School volleyball coach Molly Hill had her first introduction this week to a school tradition.

It’s one of which she wholeheartedly approves.

Polk County wrapped up Friday morning its annual llabyellov (that’s volleyball spelled backwards and typically pronounced lobby-love) tournament, a rite of spring at the school since 2009 in which Wolverine volleyball players coach teams of male students. This year’s tournament ended with a team coached by Maddy Blackwell and Lauren Ketwitz facing a team of faculty members, with the teachers winning the final.

Every entrant, student and faculty, paid a $5 entry fee to participate. There were seven teams in this year’s competition.

“I thought it was really fun,” said Hill, who played on the winning team. “I’m glad we did it. It’s a good way to raise money for our program.

“The girls had a good time. It was a chance for team to have a different role and be a coach and see how that works.”

Senior Kara Overholt teamed with fellow senior Sarah Phipps to coach a team that included football standouts Jordan Smith and D.J. Twitty. Overholt’s team lost to the Blackwell/Ketwitz team.

“When we lost, we were all very sad,” said Overholt, who coached a llabyellov entry in each of her four years in the program. “It was kind of neat to see how committed they were.

“Being a player and then coaching the guys, it’s fun to see how competitive they are.”

Overholt, who led Polk County in serving last season, also had her own special moment this year, helping one team member work out the kinks in his serve.

“It was a cool moment to be able to help someone like that,” she said.

For Hill, the tournament offered a chance to shed her coach’s role and step back on the volleyball court as a player. The first-year Polk County coach played collegiately at Lees-McRae.

“I really had a good time,” she said. “I got to play some positions I never played before. In college, I was always playing back row and libero. Here I played all the way around.

“It was a good chance to work with colleagues. I just really enjoyed it.”

The Blackwell/Ketwitz team included Alex Miller, Bradley Osborn, Mark Mazzilli, Marc Longshore, Hunter Hilbig, Noah Howell and Dustin Bradley. The winning faculty team included Jon Ezell, Michelle Fagan, Molly Hill, Jenny Wolfe, Brandy Alm, Jamie Thompson and Brandon Schweitzer.