The Centralia volleyball team opened its season in a unique way on Thursday, as several alumni made their way back to Ron Brown Gymnasium to face off against the Tigers.

The alumni got the best of the 2024 Tigers, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to win in five sets.

Smith said that facing the alumni was a great challenge for this year’s squad, noting that while things need to be fixed, it “was a great way to start our season.”

“The things we need to do better at are very fixable,” Centralia coach Marti Smith said. “But the players need to be committed to making the changes needed. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

Coaching this game against many of her former players brought a wide range of emotions for Smith, who made sure to take it in while she was on the bench during the game.

“Memories of each of them were just flooding my mind,” Smith said. “It was definitely hard not to get emotional … I was getting choked up a little bit.”

It wasn’t just the alumni that got in on the fun, as several members of the Centralia High School staff created a “student section” of their own, which Smith said brought a lively energy.

Smith was not only happy with the turnout from the alumni, but she was also proud of how it represents the program and how much people want to remain a part of it, even after their playing days are over.

“My assistant coaches are all former players,” Smith said. “If they’re loving volleyball and they want to keep coming back, then something is being done right.”

The Tigers are back in action on Monday, when they’ll host R.A. Long.