Tradition goes beyond success on the court for volleyball-crazed Leopold

It's hard not to notice the fence with styrofoam cups in it spelling out "LHS" and "STATE BOUND" as you drive into the town of Leopold. And when you make a right turn the road is lined with blue streamers and signs with well-wishes for the state tournament-bound volleyball team.

These decorations lead to the high school gym where three state champion volleyball trophies reside and where multiple banners recognizing the "Best Fans in Southeast Missouri" hang.

"We have always had that support," Leopold coach and graduate Sandy Davis said. "Regardless if we've had an outstanding year or even like last year when we didn't come out of our district, the support was still there. We had -- before the games -- the signs just telling the girls how they're proud of them and everything, and so it doesn't matter -- we've got that support from the community. You don't see this very often."

Members of the community will be out in full force when the Leopold volleyball team heads to the Show Me Center for the Class 1 final four.

Community members will stand along the bus route with signs, cheering and waving, and when the bus passes by many will hop in their car and follow the team all the way to the Show Me Center.

Leopold, Mo. is decorated with messages of support as the Leopold High School volleyball team prepares for the Class 1 final four Friday and Saturday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Adam Vogler)

Although none of the players on this year's team have experienced this first-hand, the girls expect that it will happen since it has been done for other sectional and state trips.

"It's just awesome to see a whole train of cars -- with paint all over them saying 'State Bound' or 'Leopold' or "LHS' -- because you just know that that many people are going to be there supporting you and yelling and cheering for you throughout the whole entire game," senior Sydney Eeftink said. "It's awesome to just have that much support when not many schools do have that."

The Leopold volleyball team, shown here with the school's three state championship trophies,will play in the Class 1 final four Friday and Saturday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. (Back row) Brittany Garland, left, Ashlyn Bucher and Carly Wyatt. (Middle row) Caitlyn Landewee, left, Sydney Eeftink, Emily Seiler and Klara Beel. (Front row) Jessie Arnzen, left, Caitlin Petty, Bailee Cope, Lindsay Thiele and Leah Landewee. (Adam Vogler)

The team has had two pep rallies in their honor and blue glitter was put on their cars and lockers. The Leopold "spirit leaders" have helped organize these and had a big role in cheering on the Wildcats all season.

The spirit leaders are a group of junior and senior boys who must be members of the Leopold Pep Club. These spirit leaders attend nearly every volleyball game, wear crazy outfits and cheer throughout the games.

Spirit leader co-captain and Davis' son, Cameron Davis, said that the captain is always a senior and the title is passed down based on how many games a spirit leader has attended and their enthusiasm and support of the volleyball team.

"That started several years back. It's just a group of junior and senior boys and they support the volleyball team," Sandy Davis said about the spirit leaders. "The majority of them go to every game -- away games, home games -- and they just show a lot of school spirit. They do cheers on the side and it just pumps the girls up and everything, so they're great. And it's not just a once, every so often -- it's every game."

One spirit leader dresses up in the Wildcat mascot costume each year.

"I was supposed to, but I handed it down to Zach Elfrink," Cameron Davis said of the costume. "The captain is supposed to wear the suit, but I like to be more outgoing and create different, crazy things to wear to the games, so I was like, 'I don't want to do that,' so I passed it down to the underclassman that I'm probably going to choose to be a captain next year."

The boys also have a fake goose named Edward that they got in 2008 or 2009 that has continued to be passed down. He is with them at all times for good luck.

"I don't even know how that started," junior Caitlin Petty said. "I know a person brought it in, but I don't know if we stole it from somebody or if we just acquired it over the years and now it's like a tradition. We carry it everywhere, and we can't forget it. I think it was a different color, and then we painted it blue and white and so it's been with us forever."

The volleyball team expects a big crowd at the Show Me Center and if the event on Facebook called "Town Closed - Gone to STATE" is any indication they will not be disappointed.

"I know that probably the whole town of Leopold will be there," Petty said. "We'll have a whole section full of everyone that's coming and they'll be cheering loud -- probably louder than anybody else, so it's just exciting. I still can't even fathom it that we're going."

The complete community support and the program's success isn't just something that has happened overnight.

The volleyball program at Leopold has traditionally been successful -- the Wildcats have 24 district championships and eight final four appearances -- and for many of the girls on the team today it's been something that they looked forward to growing up.

"In sixth grade I remember me and Denai [Arnzen] were always in the same class together and we went to the state championship in Warrensburg and I remember thinking, 'I want to be that girl someday,'" Eeftink said. "And the other night when we were playing I was like, 'Guys, this is it -- this is the seniors' last chance, but it could be yours too someday.'

"I was just like, 'We are not going to lose this game.' Like, we refused to lose it. It's just amazing to think that we are in the final four and we're in the best of the best. It's awesome."

Davis explained that volleyball has always been this important in Leopold and will continue to be.

"You go out on the playground and at recess you see little kids playing -- passing the ball back and forth -- and you drive down the street and see in the front yards they're always playing ball or have a net up in their yard, and it's a big thing in Leopold and it's been like this," Davis said. "I remember doing the same thing whenever I was growing up."

Davis will coach a niece at the final four for the second time this weekend, and most of the players on the roster have mothers or family members who have played volleyball at the school.

"It's very important, and it makes them proud," Davis said. "I've always told my girls, 'You represent your families, you represent me, you represent [the] school, but you also represent the community.' And when you say you're from Leopold, a lot of times the first thing they think of, 'You play volleyball and the volleyball program is amazing.' So that support, they feed off that and to have people come up that maybe have not talked to them all year or whatever to come up and you know, 'Hey, we've been following you.' It's just a great feeling for them as it was for me whenever I played."