Nova Classical Academy volleyball coach Thomas Dobbs wants the usual things from his team: hard work, intelligent play, teamwork, purposefulness.
And one more thing that may be the most important: kindness.
"I want them to be thankful for the opportunity to play high school volleyball. It's important to gracious and polite," Dobbs said. "We want other teams to remember us as the nicest team they've ever met."
Now in its 12th year of existence, Nova Classical Academy — a charter school in St. Paul with a reputation for academic rigor — has built a strong volleyball reputation. The Knights have won 20 matches in a season six times and are on track for a seventh this year, sitting at 18-0 after winning the Minnesota High School Volleyball Showcase in Burnsville over the weekend.
Pollsters have noticed; the Knights have risen to the top of the Class 2A state rankings.
All of that is appreciated, Dobbs said, but he stresses to his charges that it's all just "noise."
"It's one measure of success, but it's not the most important measure," he said. "We play tournaments and we want to win and be successful, but we stress that if we don't win on the scoreboard, we're still successful. These moments playing high school sports are precious. We don't want to look too far ahead and wish these moments away."
The Knights are driven to by the Ball sisters, senior fraternal twins Samantha, an outside hitter, and Allison, the team's setter. Sophomore Ava Ball, a multi-talented outside hitter, leads the team in kills with 244 and could turn out to be the best of the sisters, a group that includes now-graduated eldest sister Elisia.
"They're smart, hard-working players and great leaders," Dobbs said. "Ava might turn out to be better than all of them."
Dobb, whose day job is as a principal in an architectural firm, emphasized that the team's success does not spin entirely off the Ball sisters. He mentioned the defense of senior libero Katya Morse, the intellectual approach of junior setter/right-side hitter Fern Fisher; the strength of middle blockers Cordelia Thomas and Haven Purviance.
The way Dobbs and the Knights view things, the team extends past the starters to all players from seventh grade through 12th.
"We are a complete team," Dobbs said. "Everyone contributes to our success, whether it be our second defensive specialist or our third middle [blocker] or a developing freshman outside hitter, the players in this program make everyone better."
STATE VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS
By the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association
Class 4A
1. Wayzata; 2. Lakeville North; 3. Northfield; 4. Champlin Park; 5. East Ridge; 6. Lakeville South; 7. Chaska; 8. Rogers; 9. Rosemount; 10. Eagan.
Class 3A
1. Marshall; 2. Willmar; 3. Kasson-Mantorville; 4. Stewartville; 5. Holy Angels; 6. Grand Rapids; 7. Byron; 8. Benilde-St. Margaret's; 9. Alexandria; 10. (tie) Delano and New Prague.
Class 2A
1. Nova Classical; 2. Pequot Lakes; 3. Zumbrota-Mazeppa; 4. Sauk Centre; 5. Cannon Falls; 6. Southwest Christian; 7. Annandale; 8. (tie) Albany and Watertown-Mayer; 10. Jackson County Central.
Class 1A
1. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton; 2. Mayer Lutheran; 3. Minneota; 4. Bethlehem Academy; 5. Mabel-Canton; 6. Kenyon-Wanamingo; 7. Badger-Greenbush-Middle River; 8. MACCRAY; 9. Spring Grove; 10. BOLD.
