DATE: Sunday, September 28, 1997            TAG: 9709260432

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

NORCOM HAS NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP

Wanna build a girls volleyball team? Talk to the athletics brain trust at Norcom High School.

They'll tell you about the difficulties of assembling a team from the ground up - Getting the word out that a team exists and recruiting players; teaching the game to students, some of whom have never played organized sports, let alone volleyball; putting together physicals and academic requirements for each player on a team of seven. It leaves little room for mixups.

And each had to be handled before the Greyhounds played a single game - a task that proved to be as formidable as any opponent Norcom will face in the Eastern District this year.

Their house somewhat in order, the Greyhounds are off to an 0-3 through Wednesday start. Their record notwithstanding, players and their coach said the important part is the team is actually playing games and the players are working on their volleyball skills.

``We had to start from the drawing board,'' said coach Gina Muzi, who coached volleyball at Lake Taylor last year. ``We're starting brand new when (other) schools have had it for years and years. You can't catch up in one season.''

The Greyhounds found their first seven players through word of mouth, morning announcements over the school p.a. system and in-class recruiting by Muzi.

Seniors Amber Lewis and Kristal Demps lead the inaugural Norcom team, along with junior Daphne Dessett. Other players are Star Garner, Shawneque Ried, LaShanta Wright and Donyell Bennet.

Because some players weren't able to get their physicals in time, Norcom was unable to field a team in season-opening matches with Maury and Granby. The Greyhounds will play doubleheaders with those teams later this season.

Pending their physicals and other paperwork, Lynnett Bonner, Tanesha Carter and Jennifer Lindner could also join the team by the end of the season, Muzi said. All are coming along slowly but surely. Ried has developed into a potent server and Demps into a fine setter. Wright recorded two spikes last week.

Bennet, who's never played organized volleyball before, hopes to apply the coordination skills she's learned to the varsity basketball team this year.

``When the ball is spiked, it just comes so fast you just throw up your hand,'' she said. ``It's just a rush - you see a ball coming toward you.''

Dessett, a basketball and track athlete at Norcom, was introduced to the team by a friend, Demps, and said she is enjoying her new sport for the conditioning it provides.

She's also learned about sportsmanship and teamwork. ``A lot of our games have been real close,'' she said. ``Now we're learning from our mistakes. We could beat a team before the year is out.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JAY LIDINGTON

From left to right, Shawneque Reid; Amber Lewis, no. 13; Daphne

Dessett; and Donyell Bennet, no. 11 are members of the Norcom girls

volleyball team started this year for the first time. They had some

trouble getting girls to come out and had to postpone their first

few games. Now they have enough players and are working on their

teamwork.

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