POULSBO — Her spikers often talk about their aspirations of going undefeated in the junior high league, but Panthers volleyball coach Amy Johnson puts two goals above the rest.

“My goal as coach is the same every year,” she said. “Have fun and love the game of volleyball.”

That might be easier to say when the team she coached a year ago compiled an impressive 10-2 record, losing only to Kingston and Central Kitsap. However, there’s another more recent stat that Johnson considers more important.

The number of girls trying out for the junior sport hit 58 this year. For Johnson, who has coached the team six years, the figure is testament to just how true the need of loving the game and having fun actually is.

The result of the quantity of athletes vying for a spot on the squad results, incidentally, in a quality team due to the various strengths each athlete brings to the table.

More than anything, simply having the skills before the junior high season — which many of the athletes who play for area clubs do — allows the team to get beyond the basics in the precious practice time before the season.

Thus, the team hasn’t had to focus much on the rudimentary tasks of volleyball, opting to work on more complicated plays and strategies usually one only finds at the high school level.

“Our basic skills are strong, so we’ve had to hone in on our specific skills,” Johnson said.

Unlike Johnson, winning is priority No. 1 for the spikers. Still, they know that notching up the Ws requires hard work, intensity, and most important, teamwork. But those skills are there, said some of the team’s most talented athletes.

“When this group of girls gets together, we have our own little clique,” said ninth grader Jordan Chargolaf. “We all work really well together.”

Skill wise, Johnson said the team will serve well, as each athlete has a proficient overhead jump serve — also a rarity at the junior high school level. The rest of their game will be solid, too, she added.

“I’m pretty excited about our arms,” Johnson said. “We also have strong setters and some pretty nice outside hitters.”

The team does lack height, some of its members said, but they’re confident they’ll find ways to get around that obstacle.

“Even though we’re not the tallest,” said ninth grader Krista Vestman, “We’ve got hops.”