Zev Black is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sunrise Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com

Ghouls, ghosts, gremlins and goblins. As kids all across America made last minute adjustments to their Halloween costumes, the girls on the Sunrise Mountain High School volleyball team showed theirs off during practice.

Each year, the entire program dresses in costumes and participates in a round robin scrimmage.

What started as a simple idea during a Halloween-themed team dinner turned into a fun tradition four years ago that head coach Brandi Jans said she believes has many benefits.

“We wanted the program to feel really united, so we figured that we’ll split them up and do a round robin tournament,” Jans said. “That way the younger girls get the experience of playing with the older girls.”

Many of the upperclassmen don’t get to interact with the players on the freshman or junior varsity teams other than this practice, Jans said. Although they play on the same days, they have different practice times.

Senior Sienna Ruiz, who dressed up as Tupac, said she believes that the practice has great long-term effects.

“We get to have fun with the whole program,” Ruiz said. “It’s something that brings all ages together. It helps us come together for next season and builds the program as well.”

Emily Pruitt, who put on an oversized shirt and cargo pants to dress up as a dad, thinks that this practice is crucial as the season winds down.

“It relieves some of the stress and picks the energy back up,” Pruitt said. “After a big win or a bad loss, this practice has always kept the energy high.

Each round in the practice tournament lasted 20 minutes with the winner being the team with the most points. After each round, the losing team had to run sideline to sideline based on the amount of points they lost by.

After the practice, the team had a chili cookoff. Throughout the season, the Mustangs had team dinners, but this one is different because the athletes are the ones making the food.

Everyone views this practice, and the dinner after it, as a high point in the season. But both Ruiz and Pruitt point towards the team retreat as their favorite moment thus far.

For a full weekend, the program got a house in Scottsdale. Only the seniors and the coaches stayed the first night. But by the second night, the entire team was there.

“We played a ton of team bonding games,” Ruiz said. “That was the best way to bond.”

Due to COVID-19, the last two retreats were canceled. Pruitt was happy to be able to participate in it this year.

“In the past, I never would’ve been close with the freshman,” Pruitt said. “Now, I’m really close with the whole freshman team. It was really fun.”