The GCS Volleyball Program provides a means to teach how a Christian should compete on the court as well as function in other aspects of life. GCS athletes must participate in such a way that honors their team, our school and the Lord.
Grace Christian is committed to developing a perspective on winning and losing that is consistent with the teachings of the scripture. We expect our athletes to dedicate themselves to this goal. Our challenge is to be in contrast to a sports world that emphasizes winning at any cost. Winning should be one of our goals, but we recognize that sports presents a beneficial learning experience, regardless of the outcome.
The mission of Grace Christian Athletics is to provide an excellent sports program that will help our students develop their God-given abilities. We want our student-athletes to honor and glorify God in all that they do (I Corinthians 10:31). Athletics is something that God allows us to do, not something that defines us. We need to make God first place in our lives (Matthew 6:33).
GCS Volleyball teams are 2A members of the Raleigh Area Athletic Conference (RAAC) as part of the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA).
The Middle School Volleyball teams are available to students grades 5 through 8. This foundational stage of development is the most important level of learning for our Volleyball program, and includes:
Middle School Volleyball gives us an opportunity to introduce and teach the fundamental aspects of the sport including how to pass, set, serve and hit, as well as the rules of the game, how to set up a net and even how to line judge.
In order to give more students the opportunity to grow and compete in athletics, Grace offers a second development team. Our Gold Middle School Volleyball team is heavily focused on fundamental skills. They have an approximate 50% reduced game schedule in order to invest more time in practice and training.
Practice or games run at least 4x a week for Green Middle School Volleyball team, and typically 3x a week for the Gold team. Wednesday is normally the off day, but they may practice on Saturdays due to limited court time during the season.
The JV Volleyball team is available to students grades 7 through 10 for athletes who have mastered the fundamentals taught in the middle school program. Fundamental skills are refined with an increased intensity for excellence, competition, and complexity of Volleyball game strategies.
GCS Junior Varsity Volleyball athletes must be prepared to compete for playing time. Our goal is to prepare our athletes for the demands of the Varsity Volleyball program, training them to be ready to contribute immediately. Decisions related to playing time are made solely at the coach’s discretion.
Junior Varsity Volleyball teams practice/or play at least 4x a week.
The privilege to wear the GCS Varsity Volleyball uniform is reserved for our top athletes, grades 7 – 12, who have mastered the demands of the JV program, and demonstrate a consistent display of the core Christlike characters traits of our athletic program: Diligence, Endurance, Boldness, Obedience, Faith, Humility, and Dependability.
Varsity Volleyball athletes must be prepared to compete for playing time and work to keep it. Seniority of an athlete is not a factor. Our Varsity Volleyball athletes are judged on athletic ability, work ethic, attitude, and knowledge of the coach’s strategies.
Competing to win is strongly emphasized, without sacrificing the display and the development of Christ-like character. GCS Varsity Volleyball athletes are expected to act accordingly to their roles on the team, and contribute unselfishly in accordance with their abilities. Playing time will be determined solely by the coach/coaches. Coaches will not discuss playing time or strategy.
Varsity Volleyball teams practice/or play at least 5x a week with possible Saturday practices and games.
The GCS Volleyball Program runs during our Fall competition season, with tryouts and practices beginning in the summer. If you’d like more information about the GCS Volleyball Program, or to register for tryouts, please contact our Athletic Director.
GCS hosts a Volleyball Camp each summer for 1st through 8th grade.
Crusader Volleyball takes the energy and excitement of volleyball and puts it all together in one fun-filled camp! All aspects of the game are taught through drills and exercises that focus on passing, setting, hitting, and serving. This camp is designed for the beginner to the intermediate player and will incorporate essential life lessons such as teamwork and sportsmanship. Our coaching staff will assist each athlete in developing the fundamental skills of the game through game-based drills and daily scrimmages aimed at developing the whole player. Athletes will learn the importance of teamwork and communication.
Practices and home games are held in our newly renovated Torgerson Gym on the GCS campus. The gym features a full court, boys and girls locker rooms and a weight training room.
Athletes from each team are selected for the following annual awards:
We are extremely proud our our GCS Alumni who have gone on to play college volleyball:
Emma Grace Dubuc, ℅ 2023: Carolina University
Anna Strickland, ℅ 2022: Central Carolina Community College
Karli Bullard, ℅ 2022: Central Carolina Community College
MeKenzie Harris, ℅ 2019: Central Carolina Community College
