In the spring, female athletes have a decision to participate in school-sponsored sports and be a three-sport athlete or participate in AAU (Club) volleyball to improve their skills in a specific sport for the next regular season.

Several girls from Powell High School competed in AAU volleyball to improve their team chemistry and improve their play for next season. Among them were Hartly Thorington, Natalie Ostermiller, Gabi Metzler, Kady Wells, Ashtyn Heny, Devon Curtis, Katie Mckenzie, Jazlyn Haney, Addie Howard, Madi Fields, Gabby Harshman, Payton Asher, Catherine Wilson, Elsie Spomer, Mattie Larsen, Rose Graft and Tegan Lovelady

AAU club sports are very helpful to develop player’s game in the offseason. The offseason might be the most important part of a player’s training, and many coaches sayt teams are made during the regular season but players are made in the offseason.

AAU is available to several different age groups so teams can develop strong players from a young age.  AAU volleyball teams consist of U12-U18, (grades 6-8).

The teams competed in tournaments every Sunday that usually consisted of 5-8 games. This gives the player maximum playing time and experience to improve their skills and gain real-game experience.

There are girls who also choose to play soccer or run track while competing in AAU to maintain their three-sport athlete status and to stay busy during the last semester of the school year.

On the U18 and U16 teams, there are several girls who go to track or soccer practices after school and head to AAU practice directly after.

“Participating in track and AAU at the same time is very time consuming and exhausting,” said junior middle hitter Jazlyn Haney. “But it keeps me in shape and prepares me for the upcoming volleyball season.”

The U18 team usually consists of girls hoping to be a part of the Lady Panther varsity volleyball team in the upcoming season because it contains mostly incoming seniors and juniors.

The U18 team had a fairly successful club season, placing second at the Mountain Mayhem club tournament in Red Lodge, MT,second at their tournament in Billings and winning the Silver Bracket at their last club tournament in Sheridan.

“I think it was a really great season even though it was a short one. I think it allowed us to try new things and ideas,” said junior outside hitter Hartly Thorington. “Overall we improved a lot and it got us a championship and a medal.”

The Lady Panthers hope that competing in AAU will improve their team play for the regular season.

“I can’t wait for what the fall season has to come,” said Thorington.