by Kline Sharpe (Posted on Dec. 10, 2025 @ 12:00 a.m.)
The Alamo Heights Mules may not have dominated on the court this season, but their steady improvement and team spirit made them a force to be respected on the court. With a 6-4 record, the eighth-grade squad showed that heart and determination can be just as valuable as perfect serves and powerful spikes.
The Mules came together as a team while performing difficult plays. “The girls really came together. The plays are really difficult, especially because the rotations are a little bit complicated,” said Coach Burpo. They had a really successful season by working together to complete hard tasks.
The volleyball team does not give up. They were down and worked as a team to overcome a difficult comeback under big circumstances. “There was one game where we were down and if we lost, we needed to win the 2nd set to get an opportunity for the 3rd set, and so I had a little huddle with them and said ‘Girls, in order for us to win this 2nd set to get an opportunity to win the next one. We are just focusing on getting the ball over. And they just went out and got it done,” said Coach Burpo. The players were motivated by Coach Burpo to get what needed to be done, done.
Alana Martinez was a player who grew as a player and really helped the team. “Alana Martinez, she really learned her rotation well. And she ended up becoming just an all around player. She was moving all over the court and just really confident,” Burpo said. She became a great player with help from the coaches and her team and ended up being one of the star players.
They may not have always gotten their way, but it always turned into an opportunity to learn and grow to do better next time. “A lot of times initially, there would be heavy discouragement, you know whenever you’re playing match and you’re giving it your all and you really want to win. It can really hit hard when you don’t do as well as you want to. But it would always turn into a good opportunity to talk about what we can work on for the next game.” The Mules can always turn something negative into a positive.
In about the middle of the season, the Mules had a great game with smart plays and long rallies. “I can’t remember who we were playing against where the rally was really long and they were actually doing the ‘Bump, Set, Spike’, which was really exciting,” Burpo said. They capitalized using their skills from practice and made their coaches proud.
Emery Adcock was a big contributor to team spirit and morale to keep their chins up and keep working hard. “Emery Adcock was a strong player who always encouraged everyone. I really appreciate when athletes help encourage their teammates,” said Coach Burpo. Coaches think it’s a big help when players keep up their team spirit.
In conclusion, the Alamo Heights Mules may not have had a perfect season on paper, but they achieved something far more valuable—they learned that success is measured not just in wins and losses, but in growth, teamwork, and the ability to turn every challenge into an opportunity.
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