SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Saints are part of a volleyball program for homeschooled local athletes, but their trip far from home will put them to the test at the National Homeschool Volleyball Tournament this week.
The Saints will fly out to Iowa for the tournament in which they were runner-ups in last year and are ready for another shot at the national title.
“This team is the strongest team, I think, that I have ever gotten to coach before,” said Saints’ head coach Edie Miller. “We’ve coached amazing teams, but they’re amazing and fun, and that’s what I really love the most.”
“It’s just really fun. We spend so much time together here, and we work so hard here to be able to take that to a whole other state and compete there. It’s just a lot of fun,” said Saints’ sophomore setter Sophia Coignet.
What made freshman setter Isabella Stark feel so comfortable in a new environment?
“My teammates and my coaches — it’s a lot of encouragement, and it’s really just fun being around them,” said Stark.
Being a homeschooled athlete is different from being an in-person school athlete. But the girls make it work together.
“So the differences are — one, they aren’t together all the time in school where there’s a lot more maybe bickering because you’re on each other nerves, so when they come together, it’s a little more exciting,” said Coach Miller.
“I feel like there’s not, like, cliques, like everybody’s just one. There’s no different friend groups. Everybody hangs out, and if you’re left out, they’ll like to bring you in, and it’s not, like, I guess you don’t feel by yourself at all. It’s just like you’re always together,” said Saints’ freshman outside hitter Chloe Hawkins.
“With girls, a lot of times there’s drama. And like with this group, it’s super rare, like there is no drama, and everyone loves each other,” said Courtney Church, Saints’ senior outside hitter and Abilene Christian University commit.
The Saints will land in Iowa on Wednesday night and begin pool play for the National Homeschool Volleyball Tournament on Thursday. The national championship match will be on Saturday.
Your KSAT 12 Sports team will keep you updated on the Saints’ quest for the national title crown.