Sophomore Kaitlin Avery has worked her way up to the Varsity Volleyball team and is making a name for herself as a threat on the court. She recently had a stand-out last Friday against the Hardin-Jefferson Lady Hawks, in which she helped the Lady Bears gain a big district victory.

“The win against Hardin-Jefferson felt amazing, and I felt great!” Avery said.

Even though this is her first year on the varsity team, she has helped lead the team just as much as the upperclassmen.

“I was very excited about when I found out that I would have a chance to play on Varsity,” she said.

Avery has been playing volleyball for six years. During the school year, she practices with the Lady Bears three days a week from 4-6 p.m. and occasionally takes lessons and practices in her own time at North Orange Baptist Church. A normal practice usually includes tough hitting and passing drills, as well as drills focused on game-like situations.

As she looks to another big week of district games, there is no doubt that Avery will step up once again and lead her team, and all the hard work she has put into the sport will pay off.

“My favorite part about volleyball is seeing the results from a hard practice paying off,” she said.