Whether it be sports, music or even academics, there is competition involved with every activity in which a high school student participates.

Teachers and coaches have to make tough decisions every day when choosing who to place on the team. Recently, two senior varsity volleyball players, seniors Sydney Sulzman and Hannah Pfannenstiel, were cut from the squad.

Both were placed on the varsity volleyball team during their junior year and intended to continue playing varsity afterwards.

When contacted for this story, volleyball coach Christin Nunnery said any information regarding the try out process can be found in the student handbook, but declined to comment further.

Assistant principal and athletic director Chris Michaelis said the process of whether a student is chosen or not chosen isn’t a school policy. However, there is an overall policy on tryouts.

“The students have five practices before a decision can be made,” Michaelis said. “I have to rely on the personal decision of the coach because I am not there the whole time during a teams practice.”

Pfannenstiel said she put extra work in over the summer for volleyball.

“Sydney and I practiced with a previous coach whenever we could,” Pfannenstiel said. “We’d go to open gym and we even did camp over the summer.”

Sulzman said being on the team was going to be a highlight for her senior year.

“It was really important to me because I’m a senior,” Sulzman said. “This could now be the last time I ever play volleyball.”

Pfannenstiel said when she initially told people about being cut from the team, they thought she was joking.

“We were told we were cut based off our skills and leadership,” Pfannenstiel said. “But that doesn’t make sense because I’ve been involved with volleyball since fourth grade.”

Sulzman and Pfannenstiel said they believe they both have the necessary leadership abilities for the volleyball team.

Junior Kori Beckman said she agrees with the seniors, saying that the underclassmen looked to the two senior girls for leadership.

“I quit the volleyball team,” Beckman said. “I was told I could either be the star of JV or not play very much on varsity. That didn’t seem right to me, and I also didn’t agree with the two seniors being cut.”

Beckman said the team will be missing out on the senior’s leadership skills.

“I definitely disagree with the coach’s decision,” Beckman said. “These seniors are the ones that we all looked up to for guidance and support. I think the team might suffer without their leadership skills.”

Sulzman said she worked very hard over the summer in order to better herself for volleyball.

“All of the girls that made the team definitely have talent,” Sulzman said. “It’s just really unfortunate because of how much work [Pfannenstiel] and I have put into this.”

Pfannenstiel and Sulzman agreed that senior leadership skills are important for the team’s success.

Sulzman said her parents attempted to get involved.

“My mom already talked to Michaelis and coach Nunnery about this,” Sulzman said. “They told my mom the same thing that coach Nunnery told me.”

Michaelis said he would advise the girls to set up another meeting with the coach.

“If they feel they need a better explanation, then they should reach out to the coach,” Michaelis said. “Their coach can then discuss to them how she reached the decision that she did. Coaches are supposed to just talk about that student and not compare them to somebody else.”

Sulzman and Pfannenstiel do not have any future plans for another meeting with Nunnery.

“We’ve already talked to her as much as we can,” Sulzman said. “It won’t change anything if we set up more meetings. It was her decision to cut us.”

Pfannenstiel agreed that setting up an additional meeting wouldn’t make a difference.

“Everyone I’ve talked to just wants to know what’s really going on,” Pfannenstiel said. “Things just aren’t really adding up. But until we get a better explanation, there’s nothing we can do.”

17aweber@usd489.com