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Senior Project Spotlight: Gabianelli Hosts Boys Volleyball Tournament

Story by Taylor Amore

A love for volleyball and her team led Woodland senior, Lindsey  Gabianelli, to focus her senior project on this sport. After her original project was rejected, Gabianelli thought of the perfect plan to allow Woodland students to have the opportunity to learn and enjoy the game she loves. Woodland lacks a boys volleyball team, so Gabianelli decided to teach the boys to play.

Woodland Volleyball has been historically dominant in the Naugatuck Valley League, before and during Gabianelli’s time on the team. Her freshman year, the team won the Class M State Championship, becoming the second Woodland team to do so. But, knowing the team is strong and understanding how hard it is to be that good are two very different things. Her boys tournament allows those who watch the games to see how much goes into being great.

“I want to show the boys that we don’t just come out here, toss the ball, and hope for the best, but we dedicate our time and body to being great,” believes Gabianelli.

This tournament, though for fun, will lead to competition between teams, something Gabianelli, herself, loves. She has also recruited other senior volleyball players to coach. Senior volleyball players Jen Triana, Maddie Hupprich, Kate Minutillo, and Nicole Desiderio have been working with Gabianelli to teach the players basic skills. These players get to compete, also, to see who can coach a winning team. Gabianelli already sees how she uses insight as a player to coach through practices.

“It brings back memories from my four years on the team and it gives me the insight as a coach to see how Amato, Tomlin, and Broadbent [the three Woodland teachers who coach] go about an average practice,” believes Gabianelli.

After days of practice, the tournament will be today, March 3rd at 2:30 in the gym, where a winner as a team and a coach will be decided through various games on the court.

TEAM PROFILES: by Tina Vlamis

Maddie Hupprich

Team Name: The Notorious D.IG.

 

 

Kate Minutillo

Team Name: 2ez

Team Motto: Dubs only

 

 

Nicole Desiderio

Team name: Busters

Team motto:  It´s an air affair

 

 

Jen Triana

Team name: TBD