photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Teammates surround Free State's Tessa Nover-Estes after she scored a point in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.

GARDNER — Free State volleyball got a taste of the 2026 season in Gardner on Tuesday with a four-team jamboree.

The Firebirds faced Gardner Edgerton, Shawnee Mission East and Olathe East and won sets in all three matches. The scores don’t count toward any records, so the matches provided the team an opportunity to see varsity action and make some mistakes.

“It feels good to get to the point where all these ideas and thoughts about certain things play out,” Free State coach Joel Grillot said. “We’ve got some things to work on, some things I liked and some good questions that I think we’re going to have to find some answers for.”

The Firebirds are deep in athleticism, but the challenge for Grillot will be to find roles for everyone on the team. Free State got a little younger from the prior season, so while the young Firebirds are strong athletes, they’re still working on developing their consistency on the court.

Grillot said it’s about keeping the hot hand on the court and having everyone be ready to step up and make a play when needed.

Tuesday saw a lot of rotation for the Firebirds as they figure out who fits where, but the mainstays on the team were seniors Anniston Clark and Tessa Nover-Estes. The two have been contributors to the team for several seasons now, and their leadership will be crucial for the Firebirds this season.

“That’s where their next leadership (step) is — being able to communicate the things that they want effectively to these younger classmates,” Grillot said. “They know how to do it physically and emotionally on the court, and now it’s their turn to guide the younger athletes on the court with them.”

Nover-Estes said she’s enjoyed getting to know the team and their tendencies, especially as a setter. She believes the team will see a lot of improvement in the early stages of the season.

“I’m excited for that because we have a lot of potential,” Nover-Estes said. “(We were) up and down with our energy. Since we are a little new, we were being a little timid or shy and not putting that effort out.”

The Firebirds expect to be strong in their setting and middle play, in large part due to the play of Nover-Estes and Clark. Passing is always an important factor in a team’s success, and Grillot has faith in the team’s passing due in large part to sophomore libero Brinley Whitney, who became a contributor as a freshman last fall.

Where the team will continue to work in the next few days is in getting kills on the pins. Grillot said the next few practices will be about making connections on the pins to improve the hitting efficiency.

“High school game is more of a pin-based than the college game,” Grillot said. “In high school, usually the ball is going to go to your outside or your right side, and we have to find a way to get kills out of those spots.”

Grillot is a longtime assistant coach whom the team is familiar with, but this will be his first year leading the program as the head coach. The Firebirds’ familiarity with him makes the transition easier, and they’ve enjoyed his tenure. Nover-Estes praised Grillot for taking the feedback of the team, and after the jamboree, the two were discussing what the team could do differently moving forward. He has an energy that the Firebirds respond to.

“He brings an upbeat but calm vibe to help keep us going throughout the match,” Whitney said. “It helps take the stress off the newer players and helps us play more freely.”

Free State will begin its season on Saturday with the Hays tournament against seven other teams, including Olathe North and Manhattan.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Tessa Nover-Estes sets the ball in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Devyn Copeland jumps for a kill in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Daisy Devlin digs for the ball in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Aiyanna Moss sets the ball in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State volleyball coach signals the serve in a volleyball jamboree at Gardner Edgerton High School on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Gardner.