Local volleyball teams serve up first day of practice this Saturday

Jerel Beaty
The sound of whistles, squeaking shoes, and of course, volleyballs striking the court will return this Saturday as teams from across the state officially open their preseason workouts.
August 1 marks the first day programs may issue equipment and conduct workouts, giving athletes their first organized opportunity to begin preparing for what all hope is a memorable and playoff-appearance making 2026 season.
Like all schools, Devine, Lytle, and Natalia will not have long to settle in before competition ramps up.
The first scrimmages are scheduled for August 7, followed by the first day for matches on August 10.
Those early dates give coaches a short window to evaluate lineups, build rotations and prepare players for the pace of regular-season play.
The regular season will build toward district certification on October 27 when playoff qualifiers are finalized.
From there, the postseason begins quickly with bi-district matches set for October 29-31 and area-round play scheduled for November 2-3.
The playoff road continues with regional semifinals November 5-7 and regional finals November 9-10.
Teams that advance beyond their respective region will move on to the state semifinals November 14, with state championship matches scheduled for November 19-21.
Best of luck to all Arabian, Lady Mustang, and Lady Pirate teams during their 2026 seasons!