To view photos of the Pennsbury-Rock North match, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
It’s been quite an opening week for coach Kinsey Lynch and her Council Rock North volleyball team.Last Saturday, the Indians – despite the absence of senior captains Sarah Morrison and Sarah Kiely – finished third in the 24-team Creason Classic. They topped that by defeating archrival Pennsbury 3-1 on Tuesday night in their home opener (26-24, 17-25, 25-20, 25-14).
For an encore, the players and coaches are celebrating a new addition to their volleyball family.
Kya Marleigh Lynch – a healthy 7 lb., 1 ounce baby girl – burst onto the scene at 4:46 a.m. on Sept. 9. The birth of a new daughter prevented Lynch from attending both the tournament and Tuesday night’s big match against the Falcons.
Still, the Indians’ coach was never far from anyone’s thoughts.
“We said to the girls, ‘The first win (in the Pennsbury match) was for Kinsey’s baby, the second was for her, and the third was for themselves,” said junior varsity coach Gina Marston.
To say the recent turn of events was unexpected would be an understatement.
Lynch, whose due date was Sept. 17, had every intention of traveling to Harrisburg with her team for the Creason Classic. Her doctor had other ideas when she went in for a check-up on Friday.
“I was really upset,” Lynch said. “I thought I had so much time left – I should be able to go, but I understood those were the doctor’s orders.”
Still, the Indians’ coach was certain she would be attending Tuesday’s match against the Falcons. Until she began experience early signs of labor on – of all days – Labor Day.
“I got a lot of flack for that,” Lynch said with a laugh. “I realized by the end of the night there was no way I would be able to teach on Tuesday and be there to coach.”
Lynch was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday.
“It’s always been a part of our program that we put our faith and family first,” she said. “They all knew that with me being pregnant I had things I had to do as a soon-to-be mom. The girls were prepared, and we have a great coaching staff.”
Still, Lynch knew that facing Pennsbury posed the ultimate challenge.
“The kids have been working really hard all during the preseason, and we have excellent team chemistry,” she said. “Was I concerned in terms of the outcome on Tuesday? Sure, it’s Pennsbury, one of our biggest rivals and our first match without a practice the day before.”
The players heard the news about Lynch when they arrived for practice before Tuesday’s match.
“We had no idea Kinsey was going into labor,” senior Jackie Davies said. “Our coaches said, ‘You guys have to push for these games. Guess who else is pushing?’
“That was one of our motivators - we have to do it for Kinsey, we have to do it for ourselves.”
Although Lynch was in the hospital, she managed to stay apprised of all the action, thanks to some serious text messaging between her husband, Deric, and Jayson Stark – assistant coach Lisa Stark’s husband.
“There was a lot of excitement,” Lynch said. “I love coaching this team, and I was so thrilled to be having our first child.
“Jayson was texting my husband the outcome of every game. It was a long labor, so we had time. At one point in the second game, Jayson sent a text saying we were losing, and it looked like it would hard to come back.
“My husband wrote a text back and said, ‘Kinsey just threw a bedpan across the room.’ Of course, I didn’t, but we were kept well-informed.”
With Marston and assistant coach Lisa Stark at the helm, the fired-up Indians gave quite a performance, downing the Falcons in four games.
“The girls were so prepared,” Marston said. “I don’t think it mattered who was going to be on the bench. They had a mission, and they completed it.”
It all added up to a pretty special day for their absent coach.
“I said it couldn’t be a better day – we were having our first child, and we won,” Lynch said. “It was a very proud moment for me as a coach. It’s all about the kids because no matter how much you teach them and work with them on an individual basis, it really is up to them - given the opportunity - to perform, and they did.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the kids and more proud of the program. I read the article in the Courier Times and saw the photo of them smiling and cheering. It was just really sweet. It’s there to show our little girl in her scrapbook.”
The players say they are using their coach as inspiration in her absence.
“All of us really want to step it up even though she’s not there,” Davies said. “Kinsey told us, ‘Even though I’m not there, think of things I’d be saying,’ so we’re all trying to step it up.
“She’s a really strong motivator and an amazing coach, and we’re all like, ‘Okay, what would she say at this moment in time?’ And we’re all trying to take it in. We’re all a team, and we’ve been doing really well, I think.”
While Davies acknowledged that most of the players were certain their coach would have a boy, it’s a safe bet no one is complaining.
“He or she will definitely be a part of our volleyball family,” the Indians’ setter said several hours before hearing the big news.
The only thing that remains is for the players to meet the new addition.
“We’re very, very lucky parents,” Lynch said. “We have a beautiful, healthy little girl.
“I look forward to getting back in a week or two and bringing her in and showing her to the team.”
A team that has already made Kya a part of its family.
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