Playing libero for the Timber Creek volleyball team for the past three years and leading her class currently as valedictorian, senior Anna Thomas looks at the new school year’s challenges with determination rather than defeat, overcoming each obstacle that both she as well as the team face.
“Going into this season, we are in a tougher district then last year,” said Thomas. “It’s going to be a harder fight. [Playing libero], I am on the court almost the entire game & I play strictly back row. A good volleyball team needs a good libero to keep the ball up and run the defense.”
Seeing their next game as another opportunity to demonstrate the team’s training, athletes like Thomas have spent both the on and off season preparing, as she plays No Limits club volleyball throughout the breaks. With the added advanced placement classes and out of school training consuming most of her time, playing libero and maintaining her rank of first in her class have posed as challenging, yet not impossible tasks.
“I started playing because I always went to my sisters’ games and once I started playing, I had so much fun and couldn’t stop,” Thomas stated. “I’m very excited for senior year, but it definitely is a lot of pressure to keep my grades, especially during volleyball.”
Hoping to receive All District Honors for the second year in a row and showcase her leadership skills both on and off the court, Anna Thomas will be visiting both Southwestern Oklahoma State and South Dakota School Of Mines and Technology in October, hoping to find a school where she will have the ability to play volleyball and be challenged academically at the same time.
“I would like to play volleyball at a college where I will be challenged both academically and athletically,” said Thomas. “I plan on majoring in the biology field and possibly going the pre-medicine route.”
Taking a 25-20 win in their third set of their game against Bishop Lynch High School on Saturday, Aug. 18 in the bronze bracket championship at the Allen Tournament and finishing ninth overall, Thomas and the rest of the team put up a strong fight and defense throughout their matches, going against big hitters.
After losing their first set, the team showed an intensive comeback within the second and third rounds, finding, as Thomas stated, “holes” within their defense and gaining easy points due to the team’s tough serves. With the varsity team’s next games on Friday, Aug. 24 and Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Arlington ISD Invitational, the team hopes to get out ahead and make a name for themselves.
“Playing defense is really fun and it’s so rewarding when you get a great dig and hear your crowd and team cheer for you,” Thomas commented. “I think our defense, block, and overall hustle really put us ahead at the end. One of our goals [for this season] would be to end with a winning record…and playoffs would be a nice touch.”
Check out photos from the 2017 Timber Creek Volleyball team:
