Lytle Lady Pirates: Building something that lasts

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports Editor
The Lytle Lady Pirates’ volleyball 2026 season has officially begun! With a Parent/Alumni game and a couple of scrimmages under their belt, the black and gold are primed for tournament season. Last year, the Lady Pirates were sixth in the district standings with a record of 4-10 and an overall record of 12-25. Head coach Maggie McOsker said that the ultimate goal for this team, like any other, is to make the post season. In order to reach that goal, she has been imploring the importance of establishing “winning habits.”
“I want our girls to understand that winning habits aren’t something you suddenly develop when district starts, they are built during every drill, every practice, every workout and every match,” McOsker said. “If we can consistently do the little things right and continue getting better each week, I believe we’ll put ourselves in a position to accomplish the goals we’ve set for this season.”
McOsker said the biggest lesson from last season was how important consistency and confidence are. She called back to moments where they were playing to their potential, but there were also moments where they let mistakes snowball and let the momentum of the matches get away from them. So this year they are emphasizing the art of “resetting.”
“Volleyball is a game of mistakes; you’re going to make them. What matters is what you do on the very next ball,” McOsker said. “We have to learn to stay composed, trust one another, and continue competing regardless of the score.”
It’s no secret that Lytle athletics is overflowing with talented players, they can hang with the best of the best any given night. The tricky part about being successful is maintaining that level of play throughout the season. McOsker highlighted three things in order to sustain success: mental toughness, communication and consistency. Moreover, McOsker has stressed the importance of not getting content. The continuous striving for improvement in all facets of the games is what separates the good the from the great.
“Every match has to be approached as another opportunity to improve.  Our varsity team had a great summer and won the CYDI Silver Bracket Championship in a league of 33 teams, which was a great accomplishment and showed them what they’re capable of, but that’s also just one step. We want to take that confidence and use it as motivation to keep raising our standard,” McOsker said.
The expectations may be high, but the team has the energy and attitude to match it. The girls have put in a lot of work this offseason between summer leagues, training and skill work. McOsker was elated to see the group has shown the desire to improve every day.
“What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing different girls begin to find their voices and understand their roles. Leadership doesn’t always have to come from the loudest person in the gym. Sometimes it’s the player who consistently works hard, picks up a teammate after a mistake, or sets the standard during a drill.”
This sets the standard for the younger groups like the JV and freshmen who have made “leaps and bounds of improvements this summer.”
Overall, McOsker is excited about the direction of the entire Lytle volleyball program. The work being done this off season extends to the junior high girls as well who have been diligently working with their volleyball coaches as well as their strength and conditioning coach. Sustained success isn’t a year to year plan, it’s a culmination of consistent effort and the desire to improve that trickles down to everyone involved. A winning program doesn’t begin with one person, it starts with the culture established by the community.
“More than anything, I want our girls to enjoy this season and understand how quickly it goes by. We want to win, compete for a postseason spot, and accomplish some big goals, but we also want to build something that lasts,” McOsker said. “We want our younger players watching the older girls and thinking, ‘That’s the standard I want to live up to.’”
The Lady Pirates will travel to Tilden for their first tournament of the season on Thursday, Aug. 15.
Varsity: Lila Cortinas, Loudyn Perez, Karley Aguilera, Julie Massiate, Emma Fernandez, Payton Devaney, Milahni Mejia, Macey Ford, Madison Hernandez, Mikailah Mejia and Lillian Evans.
JV1: Sophie Aguirre, Avary Hernandez, Priscilla Martinez, Jazlene Dominguez, Lilliana Gallegos, Annabella Simmons, Marley Macias, Analia Menchaca, Autumn Foster, Gia Gonzales.
JV2: Aubrey Olivarez, Jocelyn Hernendez, Miranda Leija, Marlen Vasquez, Aaliyah Rodriguez, Alexa Flores, Allie Dempsey, Addisyn Lara, Arabella Castro, Amerlie Hernandez, Celia Perales.