SAN ANGELO, TX — Of all our sports teams in the Concho Valley, perhaps none get overlooked more than the Angelo Saints Homeschool teams.
It’s easy to understand why.
They don’t have a school building or athletic facilities to call their own, so they’re always on the road.
There isn’t a town rallying around them, just some friends and family.
And they don't get a chance to compete for district titles or playoff trophies.
This fall, the Angelo Saints volleyball team has overcome the odds and is creating a foothold of tradition within its organization.
With only eight girls on their roster and holding just one practice a week, the Saints have surprised some opponents and managed a handful of wins along the way.
Saints head coach L’Rona O’Brien said her players have become accustomed to life on the road, but not having a home-court advantage is one of the bigger obstacles her team faces.
“I don’t think the girls realize it’s a challenge, because they’ve never known any different,” O’Brien said. “But when you have a section of cheering students or a whole football team yelling at the girls and cheering for the other team, it can be a little daunting for our kids.”
The Angelo Saints Homeschool volleyball team has had a memorable season in 2024 despite a roster with only eight players and no gym to call their own.
The Saints had a memorable experience during the Sonora tournament when Rankin’s team sat in their fan section and adopted them for a match.
“They decided to pick us up and be our cheerleaders, and they carried us through the whole game. It was awesome,” O’Brien said.
The Saints had a breakthrough performance in Sonora, earning their way into the Gold Bracket. They eventually reached the consolation final, where they lost in three sets.
The Saints also had an impressive showing at the Nita Vannoy Tournament in San Angelo, which included a win over Class 4A Lake View.
The Saints even momentarily pushed Andrews, which is ranked No. 14 in the state in 4A, before falling 25-20 in the first set.
Tournaments give the Saints their best chance to find matches. Otherwise, they’re dependent on the small schools across our area to schedule them.
“We play whoever will play us to be honest,” O’Brien said. “We don’t have a district. We don’t have a league or an organization, per se, where these home schools teams are playing each other. So we literally reach out to all the area high schools, and they’re so kind to play us and get us on their schedule every year.
“We’ve got a good group of people around here that allow us to come in and compete, and it’s a huge blessing for us and our girls.”
The Angelo Saints Homeschool volleyball program include eight players on its varsity and nine on its JV.
The Saints often practice at the Johnson Street Church of Christ, giving them somewhat of a home court.
They recently competed in a regional tournament in College Station. They’ll compete for a final time this season at a state tournament for homeschool teams Oct. 4-5 in Grapevine.
The Saints’ eight players are seniors Keira O’Brien, Stella Zesch, Haven Jones and Katie Chesser, juniors Justice Webber and Ali O’Brien, sophomore Cheyenne Harris and freshman Josie Chesser.
The Saints have a JV with nine players, and they hope to add a junior high team next season.
The San Angelo Home School Sports Association also competes in cross country, basketball, baseball, cheerleading and track, along with the Little Olympics.
For more information, visit the organization’s website at sahssa.com or their Facebook page.
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