Palmer's sister act

Normally on local sports teams you can find a pair of athletes from the same family.

Occasionally you can find two sets of siblings and rarely do you find more.

There are five sets of siblings in the Palmer program. The Moose could actually field a squad, just with the sisters.

The Palmer High volleyball program is truly a family affair.

There are the Pempeks, senior Jessica and sophomore Erica; the Vaughan's, junior Tiffany and freshman Brittany; the Millses, junior Ashley and sophomore Andrea; the Berberich's, junior Alicia and freshman Leslie and the Johnson's, with senior Brianna and freshman Kaylee.

To make the squad even more family oriented, Brianna and Kaylee are the daughters of junior varsity head coach Marge Johnson.

With five sets of sisters in the program, one might think there would be some sibling rivalry. That is not the case with these sets of siblings.

The five sets of sisters unanimously agree that sharing family in athletics is a good thing and they are a great influence on each other.

"I only played volleyball because she did," Brittany said of the elder Vaughan.

The sisters agree that having a sibling in the same sport not only brings them closer, but is important to have around when help is needed.

"It gives me an extra chance to spend time with my sister," Jessica said. "If I get annoyed with my teammates, I always have someone to hang out with."

"Your sister is there to pick you up. When you are in a bad mood or have had a bad day, she knows how it feels," Andrea added.

Most of the pairs play the same position. The Pempeks and Mills' are all outside hitters and the Berberichs and the Johnsons are all setters.

"It helps with experience," Andrea said. "They can help you out and tell you what you are doing right and wrong."

"It is good for the younger ones to see what the oldest is doing," Marge added.

The Vaughans are the lone set of the Palmer sisters who play different positions. Tiffany is mainly used as a defensive specialist on the back row and Brittany is an outside hitter.

"Our mom likes to see two daughters at two different positions and two different teams because she gets to see different skills," Tiffany said.

The siblings also have the opportunity to travel together.

"It is good because if something bad happens, you have family right there," Andrea said.

"You are not as homesick when they are there," Ashley added.

At least one pair of siblings hit more than just the hardwood of the volleyball court together. The Berberichs are involved in three sports together.

"It is great to be into the same things," Alcia said. "She is a good friend. We keep each other up and going."