MUSKEGON TWP. - Reeths-Puffer senior Megan Barmes admits she can be a bit of a “control freak” at times, but that’s not always such a bad thing.
It has come in handy this season for the very young Reeths-Puffer volleyball team, which only has two seniors on the roster.
It's important for those seniors to step up a lot and direct their teammates, who have struggled to a 7-29-1 record as they learn and grow at the varsity level.
“Being a leader helps me control the situations I’m in,” said Barmes, whose team will play Grand Haven on Wednesday in a Division 1 district semifinal match. “I’d say I have some control freak tendencies, so I think it’s easier being in that leader role to control what’s going on. I think it kind of helps mitigate some bad things from happening.”
R-P's Megan Barmes
Earlier in the season Barmes was alone in that seniority role because fellow senior Natalie Kunnen was injured, adding to the Rockets’ level of inexperience.
“I was the only senior, and I remember looking around as it kind of set in,” she said. “But I think having Nat back has made things smoother and hopefully it will make the last games less sad.”
Aside from leadership, Barmes has played a critical role as the Rockets’ libero, which is a back-row defensive specialist.
For a team like R-P, which is still developing its offensive attack, having a great defender diving to make saves all over the court has been a big plus.
Barmes enters districts this week with 298 recorded digs, which leads the team and is fifth on the all-time single-season R-P leader board.
Barmes dives to keep an opponent's shot from dropping in. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Her outstanding play led to a big honor last week when she was named to the O-K Green All-Conference team.
“It’s a very important position,” said R-P Coach Justin Birr about the libero position. “Everyone thinks they have the best libero, but she’s up there in our area and she’s really figured out the intensity part along with the volleyball IQ.
“It’s really set her apart and shows her improvement. She’s the first player who will hit the court for anything.”
What’s particularly impressive is that Barmes does so well despite getting a rather late start in the sport. While a lot of standouts start playing when they are pretty small, Barmes joined in the seventh grade.
She said she finds volleyball less stressful than her other two sports, basketball and softball, a fact that has probably helped her stay loose and perform well with a young team.
Barmes sets up a shot for a teammate. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“I guess I just felt risky and wanted to try something new,” Barmes said. “I made the team in seventh grade and had a lot of fun. I just decided after that to keep playing.
“I’d say at the time, it was my least stressful sport. It got more competitive as it went on. but I didn’t feel too much more stress. Compared to my other sports, it’s still the least stressful.”
With her volleyball career coming to a close soon, Barmes said she hopes she’s remembered as a player who “wore the libero jersey well.” She hopes people will say that "when times got hard, I didn’t give up. Hopefully they’ll see I was the loudest on the court.”
Barmes will be more than remembered for her efforts, according to Coach Birr. The way she played will continue to reverberate through the next few seasons, according to Coach Birr.
While most of the current Rockets will return next season, the team will have to find a new libero to replace Barmes, which won’t be easy.
Barmes serves the ball during an R-P volleyball match. Photo/Jeremy Clark
But the example she set for players who are candidates to take her place has been very valuable, Birr said.
“I see Megan as setting the standard for what we want in a libero,” the coach said. “Since I started coaching the varsity team, we have not had a true libero standout like Megan. I think the younger players see what she can do on the court, and they want to emulate her.
“Megan works hard in practice every day and she hustles and hits the floor more than anyone. On the varsity team Kiera Ketner, Aubree Wilks and Hanna Potts have all improved their games as defensive specialists because of Megan's leadership.
“Replacing her as libero is not any one person's job yet. There is still a lot of work for that job to be earned.”
