How the Sanders sisters have helped Franklin become one of the best WNC volleyball teams
Communication between the libero and the setter is crucial in volleyball.
Thankfully, for Franklin, it has McKayla and McCall Sanders to man the positions.
“They can communicate without words,” coach Bekah Brooks said. “That’s what sisters bring. So it might be a look or a gesture.”
The Sanders’ chemistry is one reason why Franklin is 20-1 this season and one of the best volleyball teams in Western North Carolina. The Panthers also clinched a Mountain 7 conference regular season title, defeating West Henderson 3-1 Thursday.
McCall, a senior, has 335 assists and helped Franklin achieve a .222 team hitting percentage. She also became the second Franklin volleyball player to record 1,000 career assists, surpassing the milestone on Sept. 21 at Tuscola.
McKayla, who leads the team in digs with 228, might never have played volleyball if it weren’t for her older sister. The junior, who served as the middle school team’s manager in fifth grade, started playing as a sixth grader because she wanted to play with McCall.
Brooks said she has known the Sanders sisters since they started going to her volleyball camps when they were 6 years old. They were coachable, and goofy — in a good way. Now in high school, they have blossomed into leaders, while also maintaining their sense of humor.
“They love to dance, they love to crack jokes,” Brooks said. “They love to have a good time.”
McKayla was a setter, like McCall, until the end of her freshman season. She then became a libero.
“I wouldn’t say too hard for her because she had to pass a lot, playing off the back row,” Brooks said about McKayla’s transition. “But she knew her sister was going to kind of take that role as a setter.”
McKayla said McCall’s biggest strength as a setter is how well she knows Franklin’s hitters. McCall says her sister's greatest asset is her ability to dig any ball. Together, they serve as spark plugs for the team.
“I really love the energy that they bring,” Brooks said. “I know what they’re gonna bring every day, which is super good.”
McCall said she is more comfortable on the court when McKayla is out there with her.
“Since I’m the setter and she’s the passer, knowing that I can trust her to get me a good pass is very reassuring,” McCall said.
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Brooks said the Sanders and the rest of the Panthers are ready to take the next step after going 17-9 last season, finishing third in the Mountain 7 and being eliminated in the second round of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs.
“Just wanting to win,” she said. “No one cares who’s playing, and they don’t care who’s getting what stats. They just want to win the ballgame.”
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: How the Sanders sisters have helped Franklin volleyball reach new heights
