Cheers, energy, and school spirit filled the gym as EF Academy hosted its fourth Student vs. Staff Volleyball match on March 30, 2026. Both sides did their very best, resulting in a close, competitive match that kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the very end.
The staff started strong, with Chrstianna Gutierrez, a nurse at EF, scoring multiple points with her serves. But the students later gained their momentum and were in the lead for most of the game. Griffin Still, an audience member and a student, said, “The game for the most part was either heavily in our favor or pretty close. So I did expect the students to win.” However, the staff made a comeback and kept winning points until the match was tied at 24-24. And finally, the staff team won.
Gabriella La Fontaine, a health teacher and a member of the staff team, said their strategy was to “spread the more experienced players across the court to support one another.”
And according to Lucy Tsai, a member of the students’ team, they “didn’t really have one” and “had a random group of people standing to the side who didn’t want to participate,” which they eventually had to bring in, and “everything kind of dissolved.”
Still also made a point that “the way the game was played also really depended on who was in what position.” So, the staff’s stronger teamwork made the difference.
The major turning point and biggest shift came when Jay Shamlin entered the game. He’s a university counselor and a coach for the girls’ volleyball team. The students struggled to score against him, and he hyped up his team with his powerful strikes.
Megan Wong, a student who’s only a freshman, also played incredibly well. Still said she thinks she “scored like three points in a row at the beginning of the game,” and was “impressed by that.” Tsai also sends a shoutout to her since she “played really well.”
Tsai said, “Even though we lost, I had fun, and it was nice to play at EF again,” and Fontiane described the student’s team as “youthful” and “intimidating,” and that they “did a great job.” Both teams show respect for each other, and there’s positive sportsmanship despite the loss.
The Student vs. Staff Volleyball game was close and exciting, and brought the EF community together. There were strong performances on both sides, and it was one of the most fun and memorable matches yet. Will the students take revenge next year, or will the staff continue with a streak?
