It all started right before the spring pep session last year.
Senior Ryleigh Hamilton decided to chat with Chelsea Hoffman, the head girls volleyball coach, and Ethan Coffman, the head boys volleyball coach, in the bleachers of the Fieldhouse.
Senior Nola Linson, who has been Hamilton’s friend since 7th grade, joined in the conversation and the beginnings of a deal began to form.
“Mr. Coffman jokingly said, ‘you guys should make a deal to play each other’s sports’,” Linson said. “So we shook on it and … now that I’m playing volleyball, Ryleigh is going to play basketball.”
Although this deal has been put together recently, their friendship started on the court back in middle school.
They were both on the SMS volleyball and basketball teams in middle school, but their friendship really started when the fall turned into winter.
“We met playing the sports, truly,” Hamilton said. “We weren’t really as close in volleyball, I’d say, because I hung out with other people, but once basketball season hit … then we slowly started becoming close to each other.”
Linson, who hasn’t played volleyball for a few years, is still facing challenges relearning the sport, but her teammates have helped her redevelop her skills.
Linson thinks that she still has a lot to learn, but still enjoys relearning the sport from her new teammates.
“I’m still behind skillset wise … but I love it when they show or teach me the stuff they know,” Linson said.
Volleyball has helped other players see their connection on the court in real time.
Even some of the coaches have noticed too. Hoffman said she has seen the friendship between both of them off and on the court as well.
Coffman has also seen the connection when both are on the court and believes it added to a relationship that is fun to watch.
“I remember Nola got a hit in the first tournament … and Ryleigh was the first one hyping her up,” Coffman said. “I think anything that adds value to relationships is fun.”
Because of the deal that was made to have Linson and Hamilton switch sports, Hoffman loves the idea of the two making this actually work.
The deal will continue through the winter as Hamilton will give basketball a chance one more time before she graduates.
“(Nola) persuaded me to come back and actually just go out with one more year, since it is our senior year and we get to spend it together,” Hamilton said.
