It’s volleyball season, and the Nucla Mustangs are back at it with regular season play. The girls started practice on Aug. 8, and already they’ve played a tournament. The weekend of Aug. 19 they traveled to the Colorado Springs area. There they competed at a school called Hanover.
In a series of five games, the girls won two and lost three. The Mustangs beat Liberty Tree Academy and Centennial. They fell to North Park, Lone Star and also Arickeree.
On the volleyball team this year are Alexis Garza, RyLee Carpenter, Haylee Smith, Lantry Galley, Sydney Tomlinson, Destiny Spor, Skylee Nose, Shania Joseph, Ashley Meeks, Keiran Bray, Ani Anton and Viviana Zunich.
It’s safe to say it’s a young team with five incoming freshmen. Additionally, some of the girls have not played long or much at all.
Head coach for high school volleyball team is Debbie Wytulka. She’s been coaching for approximately 24 years. She’s assisted by Berrie Reams, who’s been a part of the program for five years.
Wytulka told the Forum the girls have some strengths on the court. Right now, they’re working on bonding as a team.
“We have a pretty much new group of girls,” she said. “We have a few more on the team from last year that didn’t have a whole lot of varsity time.”
Now, the Mustangs are focusing on bonding, building relationships with each other, and making sure basic skills are reviewed.
“We are making sure we have a solid foundation to move forward as this season progresses,” she said.
The girls didn’t have a team camp over the summer, but open gyms were held, and many of the players did attend.
What’s coming up for the Mustangs is a series of six San Juan Basin League games. They traveled to Dolores Aug. 29, and next week they face Dove Creek and also Norwood. A full schedule is available on the West End Public Schools District website.
Wytulka agreed there are mixed emotions with the girls having their last volleyball season in the current gym. The new school is under construction, and the students are set to move into the new facility in January.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Wytulka said. “It’s sad, but it’s also exciting, and we are looking forward to the new space.”
She added she’s thinking of ways to honor past alumni who’ve competed in the existing gym.
This is the last year of Mustang volleyball as it is, before the school officially forms a co-op with Norwood. Both school school boards, West End and Norwood, voted to establish the co-op with each other beginning in the fall of 2024. Wytulka said she hopes to continue to be involved with the volleyball program when the change happens.
As for this season, she’s looking forward to seeing what the Mustangs can do on the court.
“It’s started out good, and I see improvement every day in practice,” she said. “I’m excited to see how this season is going to shake out.”
Wytulka is also a teacher at Nucla High School. She teaches a computer class, a business class, senior seminar, sponsors the yearbook, and is the restorative practices coordinator.
