By Warren Rappleyea
Tara Kokoszka enters her final varsity volleyball season at Old Bridge High School on the heels of a superlative campaign that saw her blossom into a true team leader.
And the talented hitter has a mission: to help Old Bridge to the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) championship. Last season, the Lady Knights turned in an uncharacteristic 9-15 record.
With a slew of returning players led by Kokoszka, who served as a captain last fall, Old Bridge coach Andrew Hopman has high expectations for his team this season.
“Tara is an outstanding captain,” the coach said. “She has a calm demeanor and never shows any frustration. The other girls look up to her. She’s everything you would want in a captain.”
Kokoszka is a force to be reckoned with on the court. Last season, she led the Lady Knights with 116 kills and her 24 aces — thanks in part to a devastating jump serve — were also tops on the team. A solid all-around performer, Kokoszka was second on the team with 196 digs and second in assists with 46.
“She’s our go-to player, and we’re going to look to get her the ball as much as we can,” Hopman said. “Tara is such a force at the net, but she can also be successful from the back row and you don’t see that a lot.”
The senior acknowledged that expectations will be higher for both herself and her team this season, as Old Bridge looks to position itself for a strong postseason run.
“It’s my job to be at my best every match and to help keep our team energy level high,” Kokoszka said. “If we work hard as a team, we have the talent to win the GMC and to get past the first or second round of the state tournament.”
Kokoszka began playing volleyball as a sixth-grader, quickly took to the game and began playing at the club level. She also played for the Old Bridge Middle School. As a freshman, she split her time between the varsity and junior varsity teams before becoming a full-time starter in 2014.
“Tara was tall and very athletic as a freshman, and that gave her a little bit of an advantage,” Hopman said. “She wasn’t content to just be good; she kept working and got better and better. As the other girls caught up to her in height, she was still that much better and she still hits harder than anyone else.”
The secret to her success is playing every chance she gets, Kokoszka said. She plays volleyball pretty much year-round and even plays on the beach during the summer months.
As a sophomore, Kokoszka was a key part of an Old Bridge team that posted 22 victories, won the GMC Red Division crown and earned a pair of triumphs in the NJSIAA Group IV tournament. Last season was something of a rebuilding year for a young Lady Knights squad that ended up at 9-15.
“We’ve been working together informally during the offseason, and we’re excited about this year,” she said. “There’s a lot of talent on our team, and we want to be known throughout the state as a quality team.”
Kokoszka, who also plays for the Lady Knights’ golf team, owns a 4.3 grade-point average and is beginning to look at colleges. She prefers a large school and may try to play volleyball at the club level.