Aviano junior Addison Krajicek, left, and Balck Forest Academy Xofia Wood Pineda, middle, of the Gold team, defend agianst an attack at the net by Black Forest Academy Priscilla Sivonen of the Pink team during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Lucia Martinez felt special stepping onto the floor at Ramstein High School for the DODEA-Europe girls volleyball all-star matches on Saturday.

Sure, the Brussels senior could count herself as one of the best DODEA-Europe has to offer.

But it meant a little more considering the 2024 Paris Games theme. Martinez and her family watched the gold- and bronze-medal volleyball matches this summer, and the 5-foot-11 middle hitter flashed back to that experience when she joined 19 other players this week for the all-star festivities.

SHAPE junior Johana Borocova of the Gold team bumps the ball with teammate Emma Inthavixay of Ramstein in the background during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart freshman Brooklyn Biles of the Gold Team serves during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

“There’s an indescribable amount of people, and everyone’s just yelling, but you can hear the players perfectly,” Martinez said of the Olympic atmosphere this summer. “They’re so loud and they’re so focused. I went crazy at the Games.”

Martinez wasn’t the only player reminiscing over the theme Saturday.

Ansbach junior Kennedy Lange, who with her fellow Cougars defeated Martinez and the Brigands in the Division III championship match for the second straight year on Nov. 2, also traveled to the City of Light to watch pool-play volleyball matches this summer.

The Pink team, including, from left, Brussels Lucia Martinez, Vilseck's Sophie Fedorisin, Black Forest Academy's Priscilla Sivonen and Wiesbaden's Bridget Pidgeon, celebrate an ace during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern libero Marisa Branch of the Pink team lets a ball go by as teammate Sophie Fedorisin watches during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Donning pale pink and gold, as well as turquoise for staff, to match the color palette of the 2024 Summer Games, the 6-0 middle hitter couldn’t help but see a connection between a carnival of the world’s best athletes and DODEA-Europe’s top players getting together at Ramstein.

“The theme, I feel like it really fit,” Lange said. “Seeing that level of play and then seeing all these aspiring athletes … that’s really cool.”

Despite being a mishmash of players with little to no experience together, the teams looked as though they had been playing together all season.

The Pink and Gold teams split the two matches – Pink won the first 25-23, 18-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10 and Gold on the second 25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 25-22.

Ansbach junior Victoria Ortiz-Cardenas of the Pink team digs a ball while teammate Marisa Branch of Kaiserslautern watches during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein libero Emma Ithavixay of the Gold team watches the ball after she dug it out during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

To create such chemistry, the players practiced for three days before the matches. Lange and Gold teammate Mackinzi Dudley credited Kaiserslautern coach Zac Robinson and Brussels coach Courtney Slack with using team-bonding games during those practices to get their squad on the same wavelength.

“The staff put a big emphasis on camaraderie between the players,” Dudley said. “I feel like that helped a lot.

“Everyone’s s sweet, so kind, so compassionate to each other, and it makes for a great game.”

Team-building was important to incorporate players like Martinez, who suited up for the Pink squad.

Kaiserslautern junior Briana Shields dips down to hit the ball during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

The Pink team, including, from left, Brussels Lucia Martinez, Vilseck's Sophie Fedorisin, Black Forest Academy's Priscilla Sivonen and Wiesbaden's Bridget Pidgeon, celebrate an ace during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

The Brigand admitted she was nervous and felt like an outsider as just one of three Division III athletes selected, but it still was a great experience for her.

“I think it’s really insightful because I don’t really get to play with people as challenging and as skilled as this level,” Martinez said. “I learned throughout the week, but also, everyone else is always pushing the other person to go a little bit better.”

For nine all-stars – Martinez, Dudley, Kaiserslautern’s Mariska Campbell and Marisa Branch, Wiesbaden’s Bridget Pidgeon, Stuttgart’s Mia Snyder, Black Forest Academy’s Xofia Wood Pineda, Ramstein’s Emma Inthavixay and Vicenza’s Maya Fitch – Saturday was their last times representing their schools on the volleyball court.

Dudley said she will take her team’s goldfish mindset, seeing errors as a way to grow and not as anchors to keep you down. It was on display Saturday, as players laughed off mistakes and kept their spirits high throughout.

Vilseck junior Sophie Fedorisin of the Pink team hits the ball over SHAPE junior Johana Borocova of the Gold team during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart senior Mia Snyder of the Pink team sets the ball during the 2024 DODEA-Europe All-Star volleyball matches on Nov. 9, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

“You won’t get anywhere if you don’t make mistakes,” Dudley said. “The ball will just keep going up and nothing will happen. To understand that making mistakes is mandatory and to be able to brush it off … is the best part of volleyball.”

Pink team

Lucia Martinez, Brussels; Ella Yost, Ramstein; Mariska Campbell, Kaiserslautern; Sophie Fedorisin, Vilseck; Victoria Ortiz-Cardenas, Ansbach; Bridget Pidgeon, Wiesbaden; Priscilla Sivonen, Black Forest Academy; Marisa Branch, Kaiserslautern; Mia Snyder, Stuttgart; Briana Shields, Kaiserslautern.

Coaches: Deborah Keller-Mitchell, Ansbach; Michael Gros, Aviano

Gold team

Addison Krajicek, Aviano; Kennedy Lange, Ansbach; Mackinzi Dudley, Naples; Kezley Kai, Kaiserslautern; Xofia Wood Pineda, BFA; Johana Borocova, SHAPE; Brooklyn Biles, Stuttgart; Emma Inthavixay, Ramstein; Hannah Wayland, Vilseck; Maya Fitch, Vicenza

Coaches: Zac Robinson, Kaiserslautern; Courtney Slack, Brussels

Selected but unable to play: Jayda Miller, Bahrain