For the fourth consecutive year, the We Serve First foundation will fill the gym at Kiski Area High School on Saturday for its all-star classic, highlighting several high school volleyball players from around the Pittsburgh area.
The evening will include 44 seniors, who will be divided into four teams coached by Canon-McMillan’s Sheila Mitchell, North Hills’ Annalise Shank, Norwin’s Mary Ellen Ferragonio and Pine-Richland’s Angela Seman.
“We build on what we did the year before and it’s a joy to do, but it’s not easy,” Tim Toy said. “We bring together a good group of kids to play and compete and make sure that everyone has a good time.”
Players and coaches gathered Friday night for a two-hour practice led by Jenny McDowell, who was a former player at Plum under Toy’s wife, Ellen, who was a driving force behind the start of the We Serve First foundation.
McDowell played four years at Georgia before coaching at Emory, where she won 826 games and two national titles in 27 years. She is now the Director of Coach Development at League One Volleyball, which is the professional volleyball league in the United States.
“I’ve talked to her a number of times in the past week, and she’s super excited to be here,” Toy said. “She has an energy that is rare in the gym. She’ll bring a lot of energy and knowledge into our gym, and we’re happy to have her. She’s one of the people that it means so much to me to have her come back and be a part of this.”
McDowell ran the players through a series of drills Friday night before Toy and the four coaches held a draft to split the players up into teams.
Coaches couldn’t draft players from their own team in the first round. Coaches also had to fill all six positions on the floor before drafting another player in that position. It was a way for Toy and the We Serve First foundation to split up the teams evenly.
“It makes it interesting, and it makes it easy to even out the teams so nobody loads up on one position,” Toy said.
Toy and the We Serve First Foundation will also hold a Future Stars clinic for players in the sixth through ninth grades Saturday ahead of the All-Star Game. McDowell will lead the clinic of about 25 players through drills from 1-3 p.m.
“We added it this year, and we are really proud of it,” Toy said. “Jenny will run through some drills and instruct more positional stuff. Just keep it pretty basic and make sure the kids work on their techniques.”
Doors for the all-star games will open at 3 p.m. with player/coach introductions beginning at 3:30. The first round of games will start at approximately 4:15.
Proceeds from the event will support the We Serve First Foundation, which helps high school volleyball players in the A-K Valley and beyond with scholarships to participate on club volleyball teams and in volleyball camps.
Tickets for the event are $5 for adults and $3 for students. Kids younger than five years old will be admitted free of charge. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 724-493-5945.
“I’d like to credit Jim Joyce and the tremendous help we’ve had with volunteers,” Toy said. “I think this year, we have more volunteers than ever, and it’s a good thing because we are going to need them. It just keeps getting bigger and better every year, and I’m excited to get to Saturday and get it going.”
Participants
Setters
Carsen Brown, Canon-McMillan
Aleya Talmadge, West Shamokin
Laney Dineff, Deer Lakes
Lilly Muczinski, Hampton
Kate Giannetta, St. Joseph
Jaisa Gaillot, Freeport
Alena Tekely, Knoch
Abby Lemmon, Highlands
Julia Mason, Butler
Adalyn Zanotto, Leechburg
Outside Hitters
Natalie Carr, Canon-McMillan
Jordyn Russell, Shaler
Josalin McCauley, Apollo-Ridge
Ashlyn Fazio, North Hills
Cierra Alexander, Valley
Ashlan Tosadori, Butler
Alexa Risdon, Aquinas Academy
Lila Welshans, Kiski Area
Madison Thimons, Deer Lakes
Hayven Lookabaugh, Leechburg
Cambra Fersch, Springdale
Allison Godot, Knoch
Opposite Hitters
Ashlyn Black, Norwin
Mayzie Bonfili, Hampton
Sofia Rodriguez, North Hills
Liliana Greathouse, Latrobe
Middle Hitters
Emma DiRocco, Fox Chapel
Averi Lamfrom, Franklin Regional
Meadow Keyes, Burrell
Hannah Stewart, Thomas Jefferson
Payton Woods, Freeport
Addy Kolakowski, Shaler
Avery Elkin, West Shamokin
Makayla Keibler, Kiski Area
Addison Arms, Highlands
Liberos
Sarah McShane, Upper St. Clair
Aubrianna Collins, Plum
Charleigh Beatty, Apollo-Ridge
Maria Piraino, Franklin Regional
Gianna Machi, Thomas Jefferson
Reagan Riordan, North Allegheny
Eliyah McPherson, Penn-Trafford
Cianna Culgan, Penn-Trafford
Anna Yeterian, Armstrong