MONTICELLO — The Monticello volleyball team is headed to the WIAA D4 state tournament for the second straight year, in large part due to its family-focused atmosphere. 

Having graduated three key seniors from 2021, the core of the team remained unchanged. Paired with the fact that there are few subs on the bench, the team feels closer than ever. 

“It’s nicer having a small team,” junior Jaden Zuber said. “You know each other better — you know what each other are like and how to communicate to each other. When you have a large team, you aren’t as close as we are.” 

The Ponies rely heavily on their six starters — Zuber, Ellie Gustafson, Dalana Trumpy, Macey Grant, Kelsy Grant and Kenadee Johnson — with Sadie Wilkins, Karlee Wilkins and Madilyn Hauser on the bench in support.  

Karlee Wilkins, who played just four games before suffering an injury, still feels like a crucial part of them even though she doesn’t see the court.  

“On the bench, being an injured player, I still feel a part of the family,” Karlee Wilkins said. 

Head coach Rebecca Gustafson echoed her players sentiments, adding that the team is naturally supportive. 

“I think that is maybe what is makes them such a close team because we are small in numbers,” Rebecca Gustafson said. “They help each other with the little things that they need to tweak and fix. I think they would do that whether they were a small team or not.” 

New Philosophy 

Last year’s team had a greater height advantage, so Monticello’s mentality had to change. They couldn’t rely on tall blockers like the did before. Instead, they chose to buckle down, get gritty and develop mental toughness. 

“When we make mistakes, we can gather, or if we lose a set, we can act like it didn’t happen and play harder,” Zuber said. “We don’t get in our heads as much. We are just a stronger mental team this year, having the ability to move on from mistakes and learn from them.” 

The Ponies have proved this time and time again in the 2022 season — most recently in their section final against N.E.W. Lutheran. Monticello dropped the first set 23-25 and rallied to take the next three to earn its trip to state. 

The mental toughness the team has developed stemmed from its support of one another. Whether it’s picking one another up when they are struggling or celebrating in each other’s success, the Ponies do it together. 

“We are strong, independent women that support each other and lift each other up,” Rebecca Gustafson said. “I don’t think there’s a jealous girl on this team. They celebrate each other’s successes. It’s just who we are.” 

Monticello had to learn this lesson quickly, as the team supported their middle Trumpy amid her mother Melissa’s disappearance. 

Extended Family 

Melissa Trumpy went missing during the week of sectionals Dalana’s freshman volleyball season, and, this year, Dalana had to deal with the emotions of the one-year anniversary during Monticello’s postseason run. 

“My mom was very good at volleyball,” Dalana said. “It was her favorite sport. I want to do good for her.” 

Although she tries to be strong, Dalana is human, and she often relies on her team for support. 

“They’ve been there for me through all of it,” Dalana said. “If I’m having a hard day, they know without me having to tell them. They can see my mood change.” 

The team knows Dalana well enough not to play on her emotions. Instead, they cheer her on through words of sports encouragement. 

“The most important thing is that they show their love in other ways,” Dalana said. “They don’t say, ‘I’m thinking of you’ or ‘I hope you’re doing good.’ It’s through sports, which is my love.” 

During Monticello’s game against Heritage Christian, Dalana was riding the momentum at the service line. She served tough to put the Patriots out of system, forcing a timeout. In the huddle, Rebecca Gustafson kept Dalana’s spirits high. 

“I had really good serving, and she [Rebecca] was smiling and jumping up and down for me,” Dalana said. “She came up to me one-on-one and told me, ‘That’s great. Keep it up.’ That touches my heart.”  

In another heart-felt act, the team presented Dalana with the regional plaque after their win against Catholic Central. Dalana then took the award and celebrated with her team and the student section. 

“She was crying after the game,” Rebecca Gustafson said. “All her emotions were raw. The girls hugged her, and when we got our plaque, they gave it to her to take to the student section. It’s those little things. I don’t teach that.” 

Kelsy Grant, Dalana’s teammate and best friend, acknowledges Dalana’s struggles and has done everything she can to support her friend, including setting to Dalana twice for the match point against Lutheran.  

“Dalana is one of my best friends. Her and I have grown really close this year,” Kelsy Grant said. “There’s a lot of struggles with what happened to her mom, but she’s a very strong, young girl — brave. After we won the sectional championship, we said, ‘it was for your mom.’” 

Sisters Through and Through 

Although the team feels like a family, actual family bonds exist within the Ponies. Sisters Macey and Kelsy Grant and Sadie and Karlee Wilkins have the opportunity to practice and play together on the court. 

Both feel that they know each other better than anyone else on the court and can to each other for support. 

“I feel like we have a better connection,” Sadie Wilkins said. “It’s like twin telepathy.” 

Macey and Kelsy, who have been playing together since they were nine and eleven, are cherishing this final year together, as Macey graduates in the spring. 

“It’s sad because we started out playing club volleyball together,” Macey said. “Now, we’ve played two more years together. This will be my last year playing with her.” 

“I have looked up to her and watched her,” Kelsy admits. “It’s been enjoyable.” 

Mother-Daughter Relationship 

In addition to sibling bonds, the team features a mother-daughter bond between head coach Rebecca Gustafson and her daughter Ellie. 

Although having her mother as a coach can be rewarding — and challenging — Ellie said she and Rebecca are able to separate their two relationships: mother-daughter, coach-player. 

“We are close enough that we don’t let it bother us,” Ellie said. “When we are at home, she will bring up volleyball a lot, and I’ll tell her, ‘It’s not volleyball time, we aren’t talking about that.’ When we are playing volleyball, we don’t bring anything from home on the court.” 

When they do talk volleyball, Ellie and Rebecca are able to have honest conversations about skills and strategy, thanks to their close bond. 

“Sometimes, if I ever disagree with a skill, I’m not afraid to tell her what I think,” Ellie said. “Because she’s my mom, I feel more comfortable saying that.” 

Rebecca respects her daughter’s opinion, as well as the rest of the team’s, and is open to new ideas. 

“I took 10-15 years off from coaching, and I didn’t plan on getting back,” Rebecca admitted. “I wanted to be the mom that brought treats, ate popcorn and had no stress. So, I feel like I lost a lot from when I was coaching when I was younger. I am not arrogant enough to think that people don’t know better than me. I know they do. That’s where we have success, too. We listen to each other and make decisions as a team.” 

Although they can get on each other’s nerves sometimes — as any parent coach and their child athlete — Rebecca said she’s cherished the opportunity to coach Ellie from the sidelines. 

“Coaching your daughter isn’t always easy,” Rebecca said. “On the flip side, I’m sure she’d say the same, but I’m so grateful for the memories we’ve made together. Being court side through it all has been a gift.” 

A Community Coming Together 

With its second consecutive trip to state, the Monticello community has upped its support of the Ponies. 

On Thursday, Oct. 27, the school held a pep rally — Let’s Glow Ponies — to celebrate the postseason run. Students and staff alike donned glow sticks and neon outfits to remain illuminated when the gym lights went off. 

After the event, an elementary school student approached Rebecca, saying how much fun he had and that it was ‘epic.’ 

“We’re really in a good place right now. Everyone is really happy,” Rebecca said. “It brings so much joy to the community and the staff and their families. It’s just a happy place right now — at school, at home, at practice.” 

The team, as well as the student section, had other theme nights throughout the season to get into the spirit. Team moms Jamie Grant and Riley Johnson have coordinated these themes, as well as provided food for team dinners. 

“It’s fun having her [Jamie] do it because she likes to incorporate all the parents in all the themes and get them to join in with the student section,” Macey said of her mother’s involvement. 

Kennadee Johnson also appreciates her mother’s support from the stands and toward the team. 

“It’s great because she’s very supportive of everybody on the team,” Kennadee said. “She helps a lot. She just loves helping and being around the game — she loves volleyball so much.” 

As the Ponies prepare for its next opponent, the community support remains crucial as ever. Kelsy Grant remains confident, though, that the town of Monticello will have the team’s back. 

“I don’t know if it’s because we are a small team, but the parents and student section have gotten really close with us,” Kelsy Grant said. “Our whole school is coming together for this season.”