Past and present members of the Santa Rosa Junior College volleyball team came together to reconnect and enjoy a night of volleyball April 18 at Haehl Pavilion.
Three alumni teams attended, representing players from 2005 to 2025. Players were grouped with former teammates and other players of similar age, plus a team of current players. Each team played one another once in 35-minute games.
Friends and family filled Haehl Pavilion to join the festivities and cheer on the teams.
“We couldn’t have been happier with the turnout and level of play,” head coach Ally Sather said. “It was also so amazing to have the most recent four coaches of the JC history all together for the first time. It was amazing to see the turnout of family and friends, coming out to support multiple generations of Bear Cubs. The general happiness was palpable.”
These events play a significant role in Sather’s goal of creating a community.
“Athletics creates such a unique form of community. It is part of my mission to continue to foster and grow that here in the SRJC volleyball program,” Sather said. “It was so amazing for my current players to see and connect with the players that wore the same jerseys from years past and how volleyball can still be a connecting force. And also just seeing the reconnections of former teammates and coaches was so awesome.”
Former Bear Cubs libero Violet Johnson, who played from 2018 to 2019, reflected on the game and her previous experience within the program.
“I miss the easy days where the hardest thing I had to do was go through a workout,” Johnson said. “Constantly being surrounded by people who help lift you up. There is no doubt SRJC coaching staff and sports med team does just that. My mental wants me to still throw myself on the floor and go for everything. My body does not.”
Former defensive specialist Jaiden Brooner, a part of the most recent alumni class, gave advice to next season’s Bear Cubs.
“You are going to go through hard times, be under lots of stress, and there will be things that you can’t control, but it will be OK,” Brooner said. “Don’t be afraid to turn to your teammates, they aren’t just your team, they are also your friends, so look out, lift each other up and take care of one another. Never doubt yourself, your worth and what you are capable of.”
As the night came to an end, Sather handed out alumni T-shirts, former and current players alike took heartwarming photos and exchanged goodbyes. As these events become tradition, former players will get the chance to don SRJC’s uniform again, and current players will get the chance to play as alumni in the future.
“I’m definitely looking forward to future alumni nights,” Brooner said. “They can’t get rid of me that easily so they’re stuck with me. I would love to come back and play with these great individuals.”
