Volleydogs almost pull upset
UNDEFEATED NEWPORT ESCAPES 3-2

Defense wins championships. And on this night, defense almost won a match.

The Volleydogs pushed Newport (4-0 in conference play) to five games in a tense match played before a loud, boisterous crowd. Garfield won the first two games, 25-22, 25-18. Newport came back to win the next tow, 25-20, 25-18. In the decisive fifth match, Newport's front line came alive, leading the Knights to a 15-10 win.

The play of Garfield's back row was key throughout the long night. Sofia Hirai led the way with 28 digs. Emily Fletcher (12 digs), Casey Babcock (11 digs) and Miko Guzzardo (10 digs) kept the ball in play time after time, leading to long, fan-pleasing rallies.

On the front line, Anna Miller recorded 7 kills; Shantea Cardenas added 5. Jazmine Johnson-McCoy had 2 blocks to go with 4 kills.

Three of the Volleydogs' first four losses have come to teams with undefeated conference records. In each case, the Volleydogs made improvement, and now move into the part of their schedule against teams with similar records.

Defense could be key.

Volleydogs improve in loss
ANNA MILLER LEADS THE WAY WITH NINE KILLS

The Volleydogs traveled to Issaquah with a tall order ... very tall.

Issaquah features seven players six feet tall or taller. Strong athletes with strong serves, the Eagles are a force.

Issaquah prevailed 25-14, 15-14, 25-23, but the Volleydogs displayed determination and heart, forcing a number of long, exciting rallies.

Senior outside hitter Anna Miller recorded nine kills on a variety of shots. Back row defenders played well, including senior Emily Fletcher, junior Casey Babcock, freshman Miko Guzzardo and sophomore Sofia Hirai. Hirai had 22 digs; sophomore setter Ankober Yewondwossen added 11 assists.

Volleydogs drop two
SHANTEA CARDENAS SHINES DURING FIRST WEEK OF CONFERENCE PLAYFor the first time in 2008, the Volleydogs hit the road. And the road hit back

At Bothell, the first game was just like the last, as Garfield dropped all three contests by identical scores of 25-13.

Returning home, the Volleydogs went toe-to-toe with Inglemoor in game one, dropping a heartbreaker 25-20. Garfield couldn't shake a spate of poor serve receives, and were blown out in game two, 25-10. The home team recovered a bit in game three, but poor serving proved the difference, as the Volleydogs lost 25-17.

For the week, senior outside hitter Shantea Cardenas was the standout, connecting on 12 kills in the six games.

Volleydogs make good showing at Kent Classic
DAY-LONG TOURNAMENT FEATURES A CONCLUDING 7-2 RUN

After a slow start against two of the state's top-ranked teams, the Garfield Volleydogs won three of their final four matches, including 7 of their last 9 games in the 2008 Kent Classic.

The Kent Classic is one of the most prestigious high school tournaments in the Northwest. This was the sixth consecutive year the Volleydogs received and invitation.

In the early-morning's first round-robin bracket, Garfield lost 0-2 to fifth-ranked Skyview and 0-2 to eighth-ranked Mt. Si. But the Volleydogs went on a tear in the second round-robin, defeating Kent-Meridian 2-0 and Thomas Jefferson 2-0.

In the afternoon's first elimination-round contest, the Volleydogs fell ten points behind KingCo 4A rival Skyline. But with clutch serving from Maren Thorson, Briana Nelson and Emily Fletcher, Garfield turned an 8-18 deficit into a 25-22 victory. The Volleydogs put away the second game 25-16, to advance to the final match of the day.

Against ninth-ranked Kentridge, the Volleydogs dropped game one 17-25. Trailing 21-23 in game two, it was time for clutch serving by Ankober Yewondwossen and Anna Miller, as Garfield pulled out a heart-stopping 26-24 victory. Kentridge won the final game, and the match, 15-8.

Tournament contests do not count in the standings nor in season statistics, but for the day, Shantea Cardenas put down 19 kills on just 4 hitting errors, and Anna Miller registered 18 kills on just 2 errors. Hannah Rusk added 9 kills. Sophia Hirai had nine service aces on the day; Alexa Lagazo-Patton added six more. Jazmine Johnson-McCoy led the team with 5 blocks.

Anna Miller named high school "Star of the Week"
GARFIELD SENIOR HONORED BY SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

After a stellar week on the volleyball court and in the classroom, Garfield senior outside hitter Anna Miller was named the Seattle Post-Intelligencer "Star of the Week" for the week of September 8-13, 2008.

Miller began the week with the news that she and teammate Emily Fletcher had both earned accolades as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, an honor bestowed on less than one percent of all high school seniors nationwide.

Miller then led her team to two important victories to open the very first week in Garfield's brand-new gym.

FROM THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008:

HIGH SCHOOL STAR OF THE WEEK

ANNA MILLER

SCHOOL: Garfield

SPORT: Volleyball

VITALS: 5-9 senior outside hitter

WHAT SHE DID: Miller, a second-team all-league selection last year and a co-captain this season, tallied 17 kills and nine aces in -0 wins over Franklin and Interlake.

HOW SHE DID IT: Millier scored 10 straight points in the first game of the Franklin match, which featured the debut of Garfiel's new gym.

OTHERS CONSIDERED: Brooke Bray, Augburn-Riverside (volleyball); Filomina Cervantes, Franklin (volleyball); Julia Fjortoft, Meadowdale (soccer); Sarah Lord, Redmond (cross country); Rachel Kim, Beamer (volleyball); Sarah Reiter, Lindbergh (cross country); Lauren Sewell, Kentridge (golf).

This is the third time a Garfield Volleydog has been named a Seattle Post-Intelligencer "Star of the Week." Molly Swenson was honored on September 29, 2005, and Laura Washington won the award October 16, 2002. Three Volleydogs--Tessa Koutsky (2006), Jamie Nikami (2005) and Lillie Cohn (2004)--earned similar honors from the Seattle Times. Three Volleydogs--Jamie Nikami (2005), Chelle Ticeson (2004) and Lillie Cohn (2003)--were honored as WIAA statewide athlete of the week.

Volleydogs complete nonconference schedule undefeated
GARFIELD IS 3-0 AFTER THREE-GAME SWEEP OF INGRAHAM

Home is still sweet home.

The Garfield Volleydogs have yet to drop a game in three matches in their brand-new gymnasium. Wednesday night, they completed their third straight three-game sweep, this time defeating the Metro League’s Ingraham Rams 25-18, 25-17, 25-10.

Senior Anna Miller led the way, with 12 kills on just four hitting errors. Senior Shantea Cardenas added six kills, senior Emily Fletcher had 13 digs and sophomore Ankober Yewondwossen registered 22 assists. Miller, Cardenas and Yewondwossen served three aces each.

The Garfield JV had its most impressive showing yet, crushing the Rams 25-5, 25-5, 15-4.

The match concluded the Volleydogs’ preseason schedule. On Saturday, they’ll participate in one of the premiere tournaments in the state, the Kent Classic. Once again, invitations were extended to 24 of the most powerful teams in the Northwest, including Kentwood (4-0), Skyview (3-0), Selah (3-0), Mercer Island (4-0), Eastside Catholic (3-0) and Curtis (4-0), among others. This is the sixth year in a row the Volleydogs have been invited to the Kent Classic.

Conference play begins next week, as the Volleydogs travel to Bothell on September 23, then welcome Inglemoor at home on September 25. All season, JV matches begin at 5:30pm; varsity at 7:00pm. The Inglemoor match will be part of Garfield’s gala “Return of the Bulldogs” celebration all next week.

Volleydogs sweep Interlake to start season 2-0
GARFIELD SERVES UP 20 ACES IN JUST 3 GAMES

Moments after slamming her final kill, Anna Miller surveyed the celebration on Garfield’s home court.

“It’s been quite a week,” she said.

Indeed.

Miller, a senior outside hitter, connected on 12 kills in just three games, committing just one hitting error the entire match. Her .458 hitting percentage led the Volleydogs to a 25-14, 25-14, 25-15 nonconference victory over Bellevue’s Interlake Saints.

Earlier in the day, Miller and senior teammate Emily Fletcher learned that both had been selected National Merit Scholar semifinalists, a prestigious academic honor bestowed on less than one percent of all high school seniors nationwide.

Fletcher and Miller celebrated by leading a parade of strong serving. Each had four services aces; the team totaled 20 aces in all, including another four from sophomore Sofia Hirai.

“It was a good match,” said Volleydogs’ head coach Leslie Hamann. “They came out of the locker room with confidence.”

Hamann has been the Volleydogs’ coach for twelve seasons, but—until this week—had never been able to talk about “coming out of a locker room.” In Garfield’s old gym, the team used a converted closet; during its two years on the Lincoln High campus, the changing area was a storeroom.

“The new gym is still under construction, but it’ll be a great place for fans and players when it’s finally finished,” said Hamann, who stores volleyball equipment in her car and basement while workers still scurry throughout the building.

Each home match will bring something new for fans to see. Last night, the Volleydogs broke out their new black/white/purple long-sleeve jerseys, two days after premiering their purple and white short-sleeve uniforms. In upcoming matches, fans should finally be able to enjoy a public address system, and, perhaps, a few treats from the concession stand.

The third and final preseason match is Wednesday, September 17, as the Metro League Ingraham Rams visit the new gym. As always, the JV begin at 5:30; varsity at 7:00pm.

Volleydogs win opener
NEW GYMNASIUM IS SITE OF VICTORY OVER RIVAL FRANKLIN

The air was dusty. The gym smelled of fresh paint. The PA system was still uninstalled, the concession stand was still under construction and there was not yet an American flag.

But the place was packed.

On an historic evening at a school with a storied athletic tradition, the Garfield Volleydogs defeated their oldest rivals, the Franklin Quakers, three games to none. It was the first-ever event in Garfield’s new state-of-the-art gymnasium.

The Garfield JV were actually first on the court, coming from behind to earn a stirring 2-1 triumph.

The varsity victory featured 7 kills from senior Shantea Cardenas, plus 5 kills and 5 assists from senior Anna Miller. Junior Alexa Lagazo-Patton had five kills; sophomore Ankober Yewondwossen had four aces and ten assists.

The packed stands included a number of Volleydog alums, including Zoe Marks (Georgetown grad, now at Oxford), Julianna Chen (University of Chicago grad), Kathleen Compton (Whitman), Maddie Shaw (UW), Maddie Boardman (Northwestern U), Carly Tsutakawa (UW) and Alex Ndegwa (Oregon.) Also in the crowd were parents of Lillie Cohn (Brown), Molly Swenson (Harvard), Chelle Ticeson (Bethune-Cookman), and Amanda Jamieson (Willamette.) [We’re sure we missed someone … the crowd was LARGE!]

The Volleydogs continue their preseason schedule tomorrow night, September 11, against KingCo 3A opponent Interlake. All JV matches this season begin at 5:30pm; varsity at 7:00pm. Garfield students are admitted free with an ASB card. Season tickets are still available for the remainder of the Volleydogs’ 2008 home schedule.

Volleydogs earn national academic honors
GARFIELD WINS AVCA AWARD SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW

For the sixth consecutive season—and the seventh time in eight years—the Volleydog varsity has earned the highest Team Academic Honors from the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA.) During that six-year span, only four other high schools in Washington State have won this prestigious national award, none of them more than once!

For the2007-08 academic year, the Volleydogs were the only high school team in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska to win the award.

The student-athletes honored this year include last years seniors: Noel Jung (now in the University of Washington honors program), Maddie Boardman (Northwestern University), Erica Jornlin (University of Portland), Carly Tsutakawa (University of Washington), and Alexandra Ndegwa (University of Oregon). Others honored from the 2007 Volleydog team are Anna Miller, Shantea Cardenas, Emily Fletcher, Hannah Rusk, Alexa Lagazo-Patton, Georgia Jamieson, Sophia Hirai, Maren Thorson and Tori Kirihara.

During all six years of the AVCA honors, the head coach has been Leslie Hamann.

Tryouts for 2008 volleyball
DEADLINES APPROACHING
Prospective Volleydogs are encouraged to complete all required paperwork for the 2008 volleyball tryouts.

Athletic Registration Packets are now available at the Garfield High main office at Lincoln High School. Garfield's athletic secretary will move to the new campus in mid-June; prospective athletes are urged to complete their paperwork before then.

Completed paperwork should be returned to the Garfield main office by June 17. The absolute deadline for all paperwork is August 15, but waiting that long could endanger tryout eligibility.

For complete details about trying out for the Volleydogs, visit Garfield Tryouts.

Volleydog scholars among the state's elite once again
IN TOP SIX FOR SIXTH SEASON IN A ROW
For the sixth season in a row, the Volleydogs earned one of the top team GPAs in Washington state.

For 2007, Garfield finished fifth in the WIAA Scholastic Cup—the sixth straight year the team has been among the top six academic 4A volleyball teams in the state.

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TOP team grade point averages among 4A volleyball teams for 2007: (1) Kentridge, (2) Walla Walla, (3) Richland, (4) Skyview, (5) GARFIELD, (6) [Tie] Kentwood & Kent-Meridian, (8) Olympia

Five Volleydogs named all-conference
TWO SENIORS, THREE JUNIORS HONORED BY KINGCO 4A

Five members of the Garfield Volleydog varsity have been selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A All-Conference Team:

• Erica Jornlin, senior outside hitter: a co-captain of the Volleydogs, she was selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A Second Team; in 2006, Erica was an Honorable Mention selection

• Carly Tsutakawa, senior, setter: a co-captain of the Volleydogs, she was selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A Second Team

• Anna Miller, junior, outside hitter: selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A Second Team

• Shantea Cardenas, junior, middle blocker: selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A Honorable Mention Team

• Emily Fletcher, junior, libero: selected to the 2007 KingCo 4A Honorable Mention Team

The KingCo 4A MVP for 2007 is Betsy Devich, Woodinville senior setter. Coach of the Year is Chris Pratt of Woodinville, who announced he is leaving Woodinville after ten seasons at the helm.

All of the athletes selected to the 2007 First and Second Teams are graduating seniors, except for two: junior Anna Miller of Garfield and junior Rachel Bollens of Roosevelt (First Team.)

Since Garfield joined KingCo 4A in 1997, it has placed 39 athletes on the All-Conference team, among the most total selections of any team in the league.

Congratulations to all!

Garfield 3, Franklin 0

On a night when they honored their favorite teachers, the Garfield Volleydogs aced their first conference exam of the season, defeating rival Franklin three games to none.

Led by senior Erica Jornlin’s 18 kills and 10 digs, the Volleydogs jumped to an early lead and stayed ahead of the Quakers throughout the night. Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Rusk added five kills and senior setter Carly Tsutakawa tallied 25 assists.

On Teacher Appreciation Night, the Volleydogs paid tribute to those educators who’ve made a difference in their lives.

Garfield 3, West Seattle 0

Before a packed house, including a standing-room-only student section, the Garfield Volleydogs launched the 2007 campaign with a convincing 3-0 sweep of cross-town rival West Seattle. Game scores were 25-13, 25-13, 25-13.

The Volleydogs landed 34 kills on the night, led by senior co-captain Erica Jornlin with ten, and with four each from junior Anna Miller, junior Shantea Cardenas and freshman Tori Kirihara. Senior co-captain setter Carly Tsutakawa dished out 22 assists.

The story of the match was serving, as the ‘Dogs handed the Wildcats 22 service aces. Freshman Sofia Hirai led the way with 6, followed by 4 from Carly Tsutakawa, and three each from junior Emily Fletcher and sophomore Georgia Jamieson. On defense, Fletcher had 8 digs; senior co-captain Alexandra Ndegwa added 6.

The Junior Varsity was also victorious, winning 25-10, 21-25, 15-7.

The crowd was large and loud, and included several Volleydog alums, including Maddie Shaw (now at the University of Washington), Molly Swenson (Harvard), and Raeya Tsutakawa (Central Washington University.) Many alumni parents were also in the stands.

Seattle School District implements pay-to-play for fall 2007
July 2, 2007

The Seattle School District has quietly implemented an "Athletic Participation Fee" (pay to play) for all interscholastic sports, effective fall 2007.

The decision brings Seattle into line with most other school districts in Western Washington. Fees collected from the families of student-athletes will replace revenue formerly generated by selling carbonated sugared beverages in high school vending machines.

All prospective athletes must pay fifty dollars each season when turning in a completed "Athletic Registration and Physical Form" prior to the first day of tryouts. In addition, individual schools may charge an additional twenty-five dollars per year for an ASB card.

Payment of the Participation Fee does not guarantee a spot on an athletic team. Students who are cut from a team by a coach are entitled to a full refund. Students who are selected for a team, but who withdraw before the first contest due to illness, injury or relocation to a different school are also entitled to a full refund. All refunds must be requested prior to the end of the sport's season.

Students who wish to participate in more than one sport must pay an additional twenty-five dollars per year. The maximum Participation Fee is seventy-five dollars per student per year.

Participation Fees for students who qualify for the district's Free & Reduced Lunch program must pay twenty-five dollars for one sport, with a maximum of $37.50 for the year. Parents who are unable to pay the reduced fee may apply for a fee waiver.

The Seattle School District has released two forms:

• Athletic Participation Fees
• Athletic Participation Fee Waiver Request Form
  

Seattle principals delay conference realignment vote
June 1, 2007

After admitting that the issue is "more complicated than we realized," the Seattle School District's ten high school principals postponed a vote about whether the four largest Seattle high schools should be pulled out of the highly-competitive KingCo conference and placed into the smaller-school Metro conference.

SEE FULL REPORT

Seattle principals OK pay-to-play
May 16, 2007

By Craig Smith
Seattle Times staff reporter

Principals of Seattle's public high schools have approved the concept of paying to play for interscholastic sports participation beginning in the fall.

The proposal going before finance committee of the school board May 24 calls for a $50 fee for one sport and $75 for two or three sports.

If approved, the proposal would move before the full school board in June.

Under the proposal, fees would be reduced in half for students on free or reduced lunches. Also, school administrators at each high school would be allowed to waive the fee in some cases.

"What you don't want to do is deny a kid the opportunity to play based on his or her financial situation," said Al Hairston, athletic coordinator for Seattle Public Schools.

Dick Lee of the Office of School Partnerships, said the fee would be payable only if a student makes a team.

Hairston said revenue collected from the fee will go toward athletic-transportation costs. Lee said the measure might raise more than $150,000. He said the money is needed because revenue from vending machines has decreased because pop and junk food no longer are sold in school machines.

Most suburban school districts surrounding Seattle have "pay-to-play" in effect, Lee noted.

Lee said no fee is planned for public middle-school athletics.

Volleydog Tessa Koutsky to play for Seattle University
April 13, 2007

Tessa Koutsky, an all-conference libero and varsity co-captain, will sign a national letter of intent to play volleyball for Seattle University.

"I am really excited to be playing for them," says Koutsky, a three-year letter winner for the Volleydogs.

Tessa was the Seattle Times Star of the Week for October 24, 2006, and a Seattle Post-Intelligencer Honorable Mention the same week. At the 2005 State 4A Volleyball Tournament, she was awarded the sportsmanship medal.

"It will be wonderful to see one of our Volleydog alums play for a local university," says Garfield head coach Leslie Hamann. Recent Volleydog grads are playing around the country. "We're already planning a Volleydog Night at a Seattle U home match next season."

Tessa is a member of the Sudden Impact Volleyball Club, after two years with WVBA and one with Club Wahine. Her teams competed in the Junior Olympics in 2006 (Atlanta) and 2004 (Houston).

Seattle University is a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Under head coach Shannon Ellis, the Redhawks won 35 matches the past two seasons and have become one of the top teams in the league.

School District considers adding "pay to play" fees
March 8, 2007

PAY TO PLAY is a fee collected from high school student-athletes as a mandatory prerequisite to participation in interscholastic athletics. The fee is in addition to the cost of an ASB card, which is also required for all high school athletes.

The Finance Committee of the Seattle School Board is actively researching the feasibility of implementing PAY TO PLAY at the district’s ten high schools, including Garfield. The committee is seeking input from students, parents, coaches and school administrators.

The big picture.
Interscholastic athletic programs in the Seattle School District are funded largely from sales of vending machine snacks on high school campuses. The most significant athletic expense is the cost of chartered bus transportation for student-athletes to and from competitions.

Seattle Public Schools’ new nutritional standards and commercialism policies mandated the removal of carbonated beverages from high school vending machines and the termination of contracts with the Coca-Cola Company. The district estimates that the contract with a new vendor will generate $200,000 less per year than the previous contract with Coke.

The ten Seattle high schools collectively require approximately one thousand busses for athletic contests each school year, at a district-wide expense in excess of $300,000.


An emerging trend.
Both regionally and nationally, school districts have implemented PAY TO PLAY to supplement athletic budgets. The other two districts with schools in our KingCo 4A conference—Northshore and Lake Washington—each have PAY TO PLAY in place, as do the Edmonds, Federal Way, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Renton and Shoreline school districts. Auburn, Bellevue and Kent do not currently have PAY TO PLAY.


Fee structure.
Most districts in our region charge between $50-$75 for PAY TO PLAY. In most cases, districts designate a cap on the fee for multi-sport athletes and/or for families with more than one child playing sports.

In addition, most districts make provisions for students from low-income families. In many schools, students who participate in the Free or Reduced Lunch (FRL) program qualify for reduced or waived PAY TO PLAY fees. (At Garfield, medical coupon cards are often required for proof of low income status for similar fee waivers.)

Currently, the Seattle School Board Finance Committee is studying two fee models. In Model One, low-income student-athletes would pay nothing; all other students would pay $50 per school year, regardless of the number of sports the student plays that year. The committee estimates that this system would generate $116,000 in PAY-TO-PAY fees district-wide. Model Two envisions a $25/year fee for low-income students and $50/year for all other students, for an estimated revenue of $144,000.


Admission fees to interscholastic contests.
For decades, fans have been charged admission to high school football and basketball contests, the two sports which receive enormous publicity in local media. Recently, admission fees were added for wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball. The conference is actively considering adding soccer to the list, and perhaps other sports as well.

In the KingCo 4A conference, our competitor schools on the eastside allow their students with ASB Cards to attend home contests at no extra charge, in large part because those districts already utilize PAY TO PLAY. Only the Seattle School District requires students with an ASB Card to pay admission to home athletic contests, creating a distinct competitive imbalance in many sports. Eastside schools report much greater revenue from sales of ASB cards, because many students buy cards to take advantage of free admission to athletic events. The additional ASB card revenue allows those schools to provide more funds to a wide range of school-sponsored nonathletic extracurricular activities.

Volleyball is centerpiece of new Public Television documentary
February 1, 2007

The Garfield Volleydogs' coaches--Leslie & Jack Hamann--are co-producers of GENERATION IX, a new public television documentary set to premier at 8:00pm on February 15 on KCTS | Seattle Public Television. The program offers a unique look at the world of women's sports; focusing on the first generation of young women to grow up under Title IX. The program's central characters are the members of the University of Washington's exceptional volleyball team, and highlights their recent tour of China. MORE

Volleydogs earn statewide academic honors
November 20, 2006

For the fifth season in a row, the Garfield Volleydogs have been named one of the elite academic teams in the state of Washington.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), the governing body for high school sports in Washington State, announced that the Volleydogs posted the sixth-highest team grade point average of any 4A team in the state.

Garfield earned the second-highest GPA in the state in 2002, 2004 and 2005; and the fifth-highest GPA in 2003. Since 2002, no other volleyball team in Washington State has come close to matching the Volleydogs' academic performance.

During that same span, the American Volleyball Coaches Association has honored Garfield as one of the top academic teams--high school and college--in the nation.

Five Volleydogs named all-conference
October 28, 2006

The Garfield Volleydogs placed five athletes on the 2006 KingCo 4A all-conference team.

Seniors Tessa Koutsky, Lizbeth Arias and Britt Thorson were each named to the conference's second team. Co-captain Koutsky led the team in digs; Arias was the team leader in blocks; co-captain Thorson had the most kills on the team.

Senior Andrea Arkans and junior Erica Jornlin were both earned all-conference Honorable Mention. Arkans was among the team leaders in assists; Jornlin was one of the Volleydog leaders in kills and blocks.

The five Volleydogs join twenty-nine previous Garfield players to earn all-conference honors since the inception of KingCo 4A in 1997.