Bluejay VB looking to speed up the pace in upcoming tourneys

Third-year Charleston High School volleyball coach John Snider speaks to his team during a timeout in a recent match against Hayti at Charleston.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

It’s going to be a busy few days for the Charleston High School volleyball squad.

The Bluejays (0-14) will open the SEMO Conference Tournament today at 3 p.m. as the No. 12 seed against No. 5-seed Saxony Lutheran (8-8-1).

Today’s tournament will be followed by the annual Bluejay Invitational on Saturday. In that event, Charleston will open against Cairo (Ill.) at 9 a.m., before facing Kelly (10:20 a.m.), Oran (12:20 p.m.), and Richland (Essex) (1:40 p.m.).

Each of the Bluejay matches will be played at Charleston High School.

Saturday’s event holds a special place for third-year Charleston coach John Snider.

In his first season guiding the program (2022), the Bluejays topped Richland (Essex), Oran, Cairo, and Malden to win the tournament.

“We got lucky and won the (tournament) in my first year,” Snider said. “It was the first tournament championship that the volleyball team in Charleston history had won.

“It was something.”

Snider has preached positivity to the Bluejays this fall, as trying as it has been at times.

Charleston, which hasn’t enjoyed a winning season in at least 15 seasons, has shown glimpses of ability this season but has struggled to put three winning sets together.

“That is a motivation for these girls,” Snider said of the earlier tournament win. “They know that they can do that, too, if they believe in themselves.

“This team can do that.”

The Bluejays won sets in recent matches against Hayti (a 3-2 loss) and Zalma (a 3-1 defeat).

“When we play as a team,” Snider explained, “and we play at a fast pace, we play great. It’s when (opponents) slow it down. That is when we make mistakes.”

The Bluejays have just three seniors (Saylor Humphrey, Kadence McIlroy, and Takara Williams), but a large (eight) junior class is gaining experience, as the program tries to climb upward.

Snider said he “was up for the challenge” when he pursued the head coaching position.

“It wasn’t intimidating,” Snider said. “I was up for the challenge, and I went ahead with full force into it.”

The schedule this fall has been intimidating, however. Charleston has battled eight teams with winning records, including Clarkton (22 wins) and Portageville (23 wins).

“Our girls this year,” Snider said, “play at a fast pace. They know that. We practice that and we play better as a team at a fast pace.”