Coming two games short of a state title a year ago, the Charles Henderson Trojan volleyball team has spent the last couple months in training and practicing for what they hope will be a very successful season in 2015.

“We have been working on getting solid with our fundamentals,” said head coach Jennifer Sikes said. “We started on June 10 with weights, and we have been working hard ever since.”

With the start of the season right around the corner, the Trojans have been working on growing up together as a team.

“They have matured a lot,” said Sikes, who has coached at CHHS for 13 years. “We only lost only two seniors a season ago so we have a lot of returning players for this year. We seem to be solid in several of our areas. Our serves have been strong, and we have good team chemistry. They have been working out and spending a lot of time together this summer. The thing I want this summer is for them to become one on the floor.”

One of the ways the Trojans have gotten closer so far this summer was attending the Sonny Kirkpatrick Volleyball Camp at Troy University.

“It helped going to camp,” Sikes said. “We were able to have a lot of one-on-one time between the players and coaches, and I think they got a lot out of it.”

With the season beginning on Aug. 27 in Goshen, the Trojans will officially begin fall practice on Aug. 3.

Sikes said the Trojans hope to build team chemistry both on and off the court, defining chemistry on the volleyball court as players “knowing what her teammates are thinking and planning before it happens.” Sikes said she wants her players to be able to expect and react to certain plays on the court.

“I really think that these girls have a lot of great chemistry,” Sikes said. “All these girls have been together and playing together, and I am looking forward to them having a good season.”