Playing winning volleyball starts with quality team chemistry. The Dolores Bears program has thrived on developing that dynamic through its upperclassmen, aiming to keep a strong tradition intact by building up the youths from their first days on the varsity court.
A pair of seniors look to do just that this year for head coach Gina Hollen’s Bears, as Kayla Tallmadge and Mikayla Puett lead a young squad this fall.
The Bears posted a record of 7-13 in 2022, and have a significant portion of their roster back, a year stronger and wiser, to take on a tough San Juan Basin League schedule.
Puett has served as a major catalyst for the program over the past several years, she herself learning from the upperclassmen of the past couple years to hone her skills as a premier middle hitter, and now she takes the banner to lead the Bears this fall.
Puett led the team in kills last year and hopes to provide leadership for the Dolores front line, which included classmate Kayla Tallmadge, who proved to be a threat alongside Puett at the net.
“Kayla and I are both really positive people,” said Puett about her new role as team captain, “and we’re both familiar with the rotations and really focus on keeping the team up.”
Junior Savannah Stiegelmeyer steps up to the varsity stage, while sophomores Keeley Clark – the team’s libero – and Taylor Erautt spearhead the youth movement for the Bears. Both Clark and Erautt saw plenty of varsity action as freshmen, and hope to continue their development this fall, while a new crew of first-years will make an immediate impact on the court.
“It’s taken us some time to get used to each other, with all the freshmen on the team,” said Puett, “so we’re really getting to learn how each of our teammates plays.”
Dolores (1-6, 0-1 2A/1A SJBL) collected their first win of the season at the Gunnison Invitational, where the Bears avenged an early loss against Norwood with a sweep of the Mavericks. Hollen’s Bears also battled tough against the host Cowgirls before falling in defeat, but the results helped garner confidence for a young Bears team.
“We were able to get a lot of blocks,” added Puett of the team’s Gunnison tournament improvements, “and we were really meshing well as a team, and that came from talking more. It’s helped us to all be in a positive mood.”
The Bears travel to face local rival Mancos on Sept. 7 in their first of two meetings against the Bluejays. Five of their final six regular season matches will come at home, capped with Senior Night on Oct. 24 with Ignacio in town.
“It’s my senior season, and regardless of wins and losses, I want to make sure that we’re having fun,” concluded the Bear captain, “my teammates are my friends off the court, too, and I want to walk away with a ton of great memories.”
