Shamrocks Gear Up for State with Something to Prove

By Clare Roth

“STP!” the volleyball Shamrocks yell as they break from a pre-game huddle. They run to their respective spots on the court to beat Owensville in two sets. The girls repeat these three letters before their game versus Borgia, and then before Hermann, then Union. The Shamrocks have yelled “STP” in unison before every game so far this season.


What does “STP” mean? And why are the girls repeating it over and over again? Through the course of the season, the volleyball team has become more or less defined by these three letters.


The acronym is not a secret. If asked, any volleyball player will tell you that “STP” stands for “something to prove.”

Last year, at this exact same time, the Shamrocks were gearing up for the same game they are now. They were on their way to the Class 1 Volleyball State Championship, and they wanted to win.

Unfortunately, they lost in two sets to St. Vincent in pool play, beat Santa Fe in two sets, and split with Winona. This put them in the running for third place against Santa Fe on Saturday, but they lost in three sets. The girls left Cape Girardeau with a fourth place trophy.

“Last year’s game was very disappointing for us because we had really high hopes,” says team captain Erin Scheer, “we don’t want to do it again this year.”

Despite - and possibly because of - last year’s misgivings, the Shamrocks have come back with a vengeance. Plowing their way through districts and sectionals, winning each game in two sets, the girls have made it clear. They have something to prove.

“It’s very rewarding to watch these girls achieve their goals,” says Head Coach Jaime Hoener. “We hope to have a better showing at this year’s state tournament.”

Games will be at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 2:00 pm on Friday. Game times on Saturday are to be announced.

Good luck, girls. We are all cheering for you.