 July
23, 2008
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It’s not whether you win
or lose, it’s how you play the game.
That may be true, but winning is
certainly rewarding, and that is exactly
the type of season the Woodlands Stars
just completed.
Ranked as one of the top clubs in Texas,
four teams from the Stars earned the
opportunity to compete at the U.S.
Junior Olympic Girls Volleyball
Championship with the best athletes in
the country. This marks the third year
in a row the Stars have competed at the
Junior Olympics.
This tradition of success is the result
of “a lot of hard work and effort,”
said co-owner and coaching director
Marie Andersson.
“Getting to J.O.s and placing
well is not just about one player,”
Andersson said. “It takes a whole
team. And in this case that team entails
the players, the parents, the coaches
and the directors.”
Contending at this year’s Junior
Olympics were 788 teams consisting of
more than 8,500 athletes.
It turned out to be the perfect
opportunity for The Woodlands Stars to
shine.
The 17 Gold players won first place in
the American Division, the 16 Gold team
earned fifth place honors in the
American Division, the 14 Gold players
were fifth in the Open Division and the
15 Gold team took 14th in the Open
Division.
Taylor Bustamento (17 Gold), Ali Insell
(17 Gold), Breane Matula (17 Gold) and
Marissa Wixson (16 Gold) received All
Tournament Honors and were selected to
play on the American Division All
Tournament Team. Taylor Bustamento was
named All Tournament M.V.P.
Not only did thousands of volleyball
enthusiasts flock to the Games, but so
did hundreds of college recruiters. Part
of Andersson’s focus is to put players
in opportunities to be offered
scholarships. By keeping in contact with
schools and recruiters throughout the
year, setting up video taping for girls
to highlight their talents, and
producing cream of the crop players,
this year six seniors received college
scholarship offers. Next year the plan
is to have streaming videos and bios for
players on the Stars’ Web site, which
could offer a unique advantage.
The Stars show no sign of slowing down.
Summer camps and skill sessions are
going throughout the summer and
invitations to next year’s players
have been sent. However, there are some
positions still open.
Young ladies who are interested in
trying out should attend a skill session
at the Legends Sports Complex, home of
The Woodlands Stars. Many participate in
skill sessions to develop fundamentals
and focus for tryouts for their
prospective school’s volleyball team.
According to Kris Lartigue, coach of the
16 Gold team, their organization attains
“a level of athlete that is more
gifted,” and whose hard work
throughout the season “really paid
off.”
“(Andersson) gets really good coaches
and gives them the freedom to coach,”
18 Gold coach Lonn Collins said. “We
have made giant leaps and bounds in the
club as far as rankings in Texas. It is
remarkable.”
This fall will mark the seventh year for
the Woodlands Stars and the second year
at Legends Sports Complex, the largest
multi-sport and fitness complex in
southeast Texas. As this season winds
down and the next one is gearing up,
Andersson reflects on the club’s
success.
“Each season is full of differences
because there is always change, and
change is good,” she said. “We get
better every season through ups and
downs. Sports are like life...there is
never a constant up or a constant down.
The Stars’ focus is about building up
athletes of character, who enjoy and
succeed at a high level, where they also
learn about life.”
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