NEW WASHINGTON The more things change, the more the last names stay the same.
Buckeye Central is making its 10th appearance at the state volleyball tournament and its first since 2008.
And as much as the team has changed players in four years, a scan of the roster would make one do a double-take.
Six girls on this year's regional championship team had sisters that were on Buckeye Central's last state team: Sammi Marcum, Brooke Karl, Kilee Kimmel, Emily Weithman, Sierra Hanes and Hailey Hildebrand all had sisters on the Buckettes team that season.
Buckeye Central coach Bill Bonham said that kind of lineage has aided to the Buckettes' tradition of success.
"There's no doubt. A lot of these girls had sisters involved or a lot of them were fans," Bonham said. "A lot of these kids had a parent that played volleyball or basketball. We have Sammi Marcum's mom and Brooke Karl's mom, who won a state title in basketball in 1985."
Nancy Ackerman, who helmed the team from 1988 to 2002 and won BC's two state volleyball titles, said the success is contagious.
"I think the school and environment is that way," Ackerman said. "Maybe the family ties grow up with friends that (play volleyball) and have fun with what they're doing. It's kind of a contagious thing."
For Marcum, who started playing in a team atmosphere in the fourth grade, there's no better sport out there than volleyball.
"I grew up around it. My friends would play volleyball at recess. It's my favorite sport," Marcum said. "But I think being around it made it less obligating."
She said making it to the state tourney fulfills a dream for her.
"I feel absolutely amazing," Marcum said. "Ever since I was little and watching the high school varsity play, I've always strived to be like them and wanted to play on that varsity team and to get to where they were at."
She was at the 2008 tourney appearance for the Buckettes because her sister, Trenna, was an outside hitter for the team that lost to Jackson Center in the Division IV semifinal.
"It was really loud and it was one of the most intense games that I've watched," Sammi said. "That team had a few issues that they had to fight through in the course of the game."
One of those issues was Jordan Kimmel getting injured early in the first game against Jackson Center.
The now-junior varsity coach for the Buckettes was a senior outside hitter in 2008. She sprained her ankle in the first game, came back late in the second game and was limited to only playing the front row in third game.
Jordan said she hasn't had to say much about the state tournament to Kilee.
"I haven't voiced too much. She was around enough so she knows how I felt about everything and how exciting it is," Jordan said. "It's definitely just as exciting (as it was then) and it's still very exciting (as a coach)."
The Kimmel sisters had two older sisters, Ashley and Whitney, who played on previous teams. Ashley played on the 2000 and 2001 teams that went to state.
Kilee said Jordan has passed on some sage advice.
"She's definitely been like, 'it's something you'll enjoy it forever,'" Kilee said. "It goes so fast, so enjoy every second of it."
She said she's enjoyed being coached by Jordan.
"It's good. I know our parents were worried about it. We've been best friends since we've lived together longer than with my other sisters," Kilee said. "Whenever she tells me something, I take it for the best and that it's something I need to fix."
Kilee and Karl went to the state tournament every year from third through eighth grade to watch the competition down there.
"We didn't always know someone down there. Our last year was eighth grade because we got into high school and had basketball starting," Karl said. "(Kilee's) mom said (in eighth grade) this will be our last year, but it doesn't have to be. She said we could come back whenever we wanted to."
Kilee said she still thinks about that prophetic statement.
"Before (high school), we went down there every year. Sitting there watching those teams, I thought it would be pretty awesome," Kilee said. "(My mom) saying that still sticks with me to this day. We definitely get the chills thinking about it."
Karl's sister Tara was a setter on the 2008 team.
"She just said 'Live it up' and it's some of her best memories in high school," Brooke said.
The younger Karl said it's nothing in the water in New Washington.
"I always played with my mom and my sister. At Buckeye Central, it's in the genes," Brooke said. "All my family has played. My mom (Traci Karl) coached JV here for a while. It's such a tradition here. It's something everyone wants to be a part of."
Weithman, whose sister Morgan was a freshman on the team, said volleyball is just what you do if you're a girl growing up in the district.
"Most girls do. I don't know why. Everyone wants to be a part of the tradition," said Emily, who is a niece of Ackerman. "I started playing in fourth grade. I had been around it for a while because I was the manager for Morgan's teams."
Morgan Weithman and Taylor Hanes, Sierra's sister, were freshmen that season and kept stats at the state tournament since they weren't on the varsity roster at the time.
"She didn't really play but she said to had have fun and to live it up because it doesn't happen that often," Sierra said of Taylor's advice.
It's the same advice that Hildebrand was given by her sister, Shelbi Daniel, who was the team's right side hitter.
"She just told me it's a really great experience pretty much," Hailey said.
But the blood lines don't end with these girls.
"Steph Sheibley was on that team in 1993 that had perfect season. She's a teacher here and she already has her daughter in the elementary program. There's two more Heydingers coming. There's another Karl coming. Another Agin," Bonham said. "Nancy Ackerman has two daughters of her own and a niece in the St. Bernard's program. She's helping develop our kids over in the elementary."
So stories like Kilee's aren't unusual.
"I have three older sisters and I've been playing since I could," Kilee said. "It's definitely a great tradition here that people want to be a part of it. Since I grew up with it, it was automatic that I was going to play volleyball."
Hailey was in sixth grade then and remembers making her sister a special shirt for the state tournament, which she has fond memories of.
"It was pretty huge for me and I was excited," Hailey said.
That's the kind of thing that Bonham expects when he looks into the stands at the Nutter Center at Wright State University.
"There will be a lot of little kids down there, watching, waiting for the next generation," he said.
