Faith Above the Final Score

Most elite volleyball players spend years chasing opportunities, but Ammile Mercado and twin sisters Victoria and Violetta Sorokoumova occasionally walked away from them. The three Forest Lake Academy students shared both a passion for the sport and a commitment that would test them as athletes: They would not compete during Sabbath hours. That commitment would eventually carry the three friends from central Florida to an international volleyball championship in Shangluo, China.

Although their skills made them valuable players, finding the right club was not always easy. Mercado remembers a coach telling her she had the talent to move to a higher-level team, but only if she agreed to play on Saturdays. Otherwise, she would miss tournaments and remain primarily a practice player. “That was our sign to leave the club,” said Mercado.

The Sorokoumova twins encountered similar conversations when they explained they could not play from Friday sunset through Saturday sunset. As they advanced in the sport, their convictions narrowed their opportunities, but the sisters continued to choose teams that honored their faith.

Eventually, all three girls found a home at Winter Garden Volleyball Club. Coaches and leaders accepted their Sabbath commitment, and teammates welcomed them. “Whenever we go, if we have a game after sundown, they always get excited that we’re there,” said Victoria.

The girls’ decision also gave them opportunities to share their beliefs. Before matches, the team gathers in a circle to pray, bringing a visible expression of faith into the competitive environment.

In March 2026 Winter Garden’s 16U Elite Purple Team competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Volleyball Classic at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, United States. The team won the Gold Bracket Championship without losing a match, earning an invitation to represent the United States at the International School Sport Federation (ISF) World School Volleyball Championship 2026 in Shangluo, China.

Sabbath observance began as something taught by their families, but gradually became a personal decision.

After more than 30 hours of travel, the team arrived in China to compete alongside more than 1,000 athletes representing 31 delegations from five continents. The girls played as United States 1, facing Taiwan, India, and the Netherlands.

The competition presented new challenges. Winter Garden traveled without several regular players and its usual coach, requiring everyone to adjust quickly and learn international rules while facing strong competition. Some countries sent national-level teams, and the Taiwan girls’ team, which ultimately won the championship, was especially formidable.

The trip became about much more than volleyball, however. Mercado and the Sorokoumovas encountered a new culture, practiced a new language with the help of translation apps, participated in educational activities, and met young athletes from around the world.

Throughout the tournament, one question remained: Would the schedule require them to choose between competing and honoring the Sabbath? When the match times were released, it was an answered prayer. The Saturday match was scheduled after sunset, allowing all three girls to compete. “It was a blessing,” said Victoria.

For the girls, Sabbath observance began as something taught by their families, but gradually became a personal decision. Mercado explained that when she first began playing volleyball, she observed the Sabbath because her parents required it. As she learned more, the conviction became her own. She rests on the seventh day, she said, because Jesus did so.

Violetta described the same spiritual growth. “As we got older, it became more of our decision,” she said. “We don’t want to play on Saturday, because that would be disrespecting what we’ve known our whole lives.”

Their greatest accomplishment was not winning a tournament in Florida or representing the United States in China. The teens demonstrated that young Christians can pursue excellence, stand together under pressure, and place faithfulness to God above the final score.

Abel Paulin is the evangelism director for Florida Conference.

The original version of this story was posted on Southern Tidings.