Three years of hard work and dedication on the Woodland Girls V olleyball team has paid off for Emma Liscomb, one of the 2023 senior captains. Liscomb is no stranger to the hard work that goes into being a student athlete, which is why it is her goal this year to maintain fun as a part of the game.

“When we have really tough competition, a lot of girls can get in their head and tense up, so I always like to put it out there to just have fun,” Liscomb said. “It makes everyone play better and smoother and then everyone has a good time.”

Finding the fun inside of volleyball is what has kept Liscomb on the team for so many years and the thing that has pushed her to continue volleyball outside of Woodland.

“During the winter, I usually play in the CT Juniors bracket and do a tournament there,” Liscomb said. “And then I also do a summer program to get excited for the fall season.”

Lisomb’s initial passion for volleyball did not come from family or friends like some of her teammates, but from her middle school advisory every week.

“We were in the gym [for advisory]. Every single week, we would take a volleyball and we would pass it in a circle. That really sparked my interest in the sport,” she said.

Now a captain, Liscomb is uniquely responsible for boosting morale on the team, among other responsibilities like doing headcounts of players, making sure everyone has rides home, and generally being a role model for the underclassmen.

“As captain, one of the expectations is to constantly be putting my best foot forward,” Liscomb said.

Despite being an honor student, active member of the Woodland Regional Student Government, Secretary of the Science National Honor Society, and a member of three other honor societies, balancing academics and sports is not an issue for Liscomb.

“I separate the two,” Liscomb said. “My school days are all academic and then after 1:50 I am all volleyball.”

Liscomb has not only set personal goals for herself, which include coming back from an injury at the beginning of the season, but also goals for the team.

“My goal this season is to have a good record; everyone wants to win NVLs and states but honestly my overarching goal is to always have fun.” Liscomb said. “I really try to bring that energy to our team.”

According to Liscomb, the team is certainly reaching towards that goal already while retaining the tight-knit team dynamic.

“This is the most open and connected team I have been a part of. We are not afraid to talk to each other and we are not separating ourselves,” Liscomb said. “Even though there are three different levels playing, all of us are still a part of one big team.”

For underclassmen with the goal of becoming a captain of their team later in their high school careers, Liscomb’s greatest piece of advice is to keep a positive attitude.

“No matter what team you try out for, the way you present yourself is one of the biggest things,” Liscomb said. “So, my biggest advice is to just keep a good attitude and stay playful. Just stay excited and have a smile on your face