Cover credit – Bayport Phantoms Girls Volleyball Program
Bayport-Blue Point (BBP) girls’ volleyball opened its season with a bang as head coach Toni McKinnon notched her 300th career win at the helm of the Phantoms.
The girls’ volleyball team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and competes in League VI. The Phantoms are led by head coach Toni McKinnon, who has been at the helm since 1998. Aside from coaching volleyball, she also coaches the girls’ basketball team. McKinnon led the Phantoms to a Suffolk County title in 2022.
Courtside, she’s joined by a trio of coaches in McCarthy, Williams, and Cavanaugh.
“It was pretty good. I really didn’t want all the accolades; I kind of just celebrated quietly by myself. I’m just all about the team, all the time,” McKinnon told The Messenger of her recent achievement. “I felt like it was a pretty good accomplishment; it’s pretty cool. And then I was like, ‘it’s over, I have to get ready for another game.’”
The Phantoms are coming off a 6-7 record in 2024 while playing in a fairly competitive League VI. This season has only just begun, but the squad is off to a good start, winning all three of their matches, 3-1 against two nonconference opponents in Harborfields and Babylon, and 3-0 versus Southampton. The girls improved to 3-0-0 to start the season.
“We have a really, really strong team this year; I’m really excited. The [previous] record doesn’t really indicate how good the team was; we just didn’t get the win. This year, we’re finally putting it all together, knowing how to win now. We kept it close; we just kept coming up short on how to finish these games [last year]. It’s been a really good season so far,” said McKinnon.
Many teams across Long Island have adopted a motto to guide them throughout the season. The Phantoms chose the word ‘disciplined’ to put on their team shirts.
“Just as the girls decided last year when they made our shirts this year, we always have whatever word or saying they want on their shirts. They put discipline on their back, and it didn’t come from me; it came from the players. We are really living true by the word, that’s the word we’re going with, that’s representing us this season, and it’s staying disciplined. If we just stay disciplined mentally, physically as a team, as an individual, as a position, in every aspect of the game, then I think it’ll get us back to where we want to go,” McKinnon told The Messenger.
Depth is key, we know that. Having a deep roster is crucial and beneficial to any coach lucky enough to have it. McKinnon is pleased with her roster this season.
“One of the big strengths is that I have a really deep bench, so I’m loving that. I have depth for once, which is really huge. We’re very versatile; a lot of players can play so many different positions – not just play the position, but actually be successful in that position. That also helps because we can give teams different looks. If they scouted us from one game, we might have a totally different lineup in the other game and still be just as strong. That’s what we love so much,” said McKinnon.
