As the girls volleyball season comes to an end, head coach Stephanie Kezios reflected back on the many memories this team brought her.

Although an end-of-season win against Rolling Meadows might not always define a team’s overall success, Kezios said it brought inspiration to succeed further in the season. She said the team’s success could be attributed to the success late in the season and to the athletes.

“[The team is] peaking at the end of the season, which is a very positive thing to see for a coach before going into the postseason and playoffs,” Kezios said.

After recently finishing off their final conference match, the Grens felt inspired to continue growing and improving throughout the off season.

“All the energy on the court and even on the bench was overall just really exciting,’’ junior Paige Langston said about the match.

Whether it be a night of team bonding or the practice before the final match, their communication was key, not only for success on the court, but also just to bring enjoyment to the game.

“The best part of this team is always making new friends and being able to joke around with one another on and off the court,” junior Pranjal Patel said.

Building community has been part of the team’s goals this season.

“If it wasn’t for Volleyball, [I] wouldn’t be as close with two of my best friends because we really got to bond throughout this season as setters,” Langston said.

All that from a coach’s perspective can demonstrate that the team has become a second family for athletes.

While finishing the season with no regrets, Kezios is thankful for the “progressive” season this team brought to the court, as she said it was full of commitment, optimism and continued improvement.

“These girls have had such potential from the start so getting to watch them all grow and improve together from a coach perspective is really cool,’’ Kezios said.