#ctvb – Girls’ volleyball season is coming up and on Tuesday at Shelton High the Southern Connecticut Conference coaches’ meeting took place. Changing the schedule, expanding the SCC All-Division team and rules and regulations were discussed.

The current SCC schedule pits top ranked teams against other top ranked teams in other divisions twice a season. Meanwhile, divisional teams play other teams in their division twice. Teams are ranked based on their record over the previous two seasons.

The proposed changes were a FCIAC-style schedule that would allow teams to play every SCC team once and an NFL style schedule. Although some coaches were in favor of changing the schedule to a FCIAC-style, the coaches voted to keep the current schedule format. However, some coaches still were in favor of changing the scheduling.

“If your division’s weak and you’re playing all these weak teams two times it inflates your record,” first-year Guilford coach Rachel Martinich said. “I don’t think that’s fair to teams in a more powerful division.”

Concerning the SCC All-Division team, the coaches voted to add a second team. Currently there is just a first team of seven players for each of the four divisions. If the proposed changes receive approval from the Athletic Director level board, there will now be seven more players added to a SCC All-Division second team.

“It’s for the kids. They get an opportunity to find success in a sport that they might not find success in normally because it was only one team of seven people,” Wilbur Cross coach Michelle Cabaldon said.

Cabaldon, who stepped down as girls' basketball coach to watch her daughter Aaliyah Robinson play in college, said she is in a good place right now.

“I’m excited that I do get to coach volleyball and I get to go see her play,” Cabaldon said. “I’m just ecstatic that I get to support her and fulfill my love of coaching.”

Although last season’s NHR All-Area Girls’ Volleyball MVP Katie Direnzo is gone, Shelton coach LeAnne Bianchine said she is still expecting big things from the Gaelettes.

“I’m bringing back 16 returning players,” she said. “Juniors and seniors mostly, I’ve got some good juniors coming up.”

Seventeen of the conferences’ 19 coaches were present at the meeting.

For more information on girls volleyball, keep checking right here until the season begins on Sept. 11.

– @NHRHENRYC