Though senior Reese Temme started playing for the volleyball team as just a way to stay active, she ended up gaining a sense of community with her teammates.
“I started playing just for fun, as a way to get another sport in,” Temme said. “I kept playing because of how fun it was and how much I grew to love the girls and the sport.”
Temme played volleyball for all four years of high school. One of her proudest moments was putting in the hard work to make the team during her freshman year.
“It was my first time ever stepping on a volleyball court. I was new, and I wasn’t super good at it,” Temme said. “I put a lot of hard work in over the summer. I worked really hard to be the best volleyball player I could be.”
Though junior Addy Troutman has been on the team with Temme for three years, they became close last year when Temme chose Troutman as an underclassmen to mentor.
“We got really close because I was guiding her through the steps of varsity and how that works, and she was showing me her personality. We helped each other grow in such different ways, and we became really close because of that,” Temme said.
Temme is strategic on the court and smart plays, Troutman says.
“She knows how to get us points,” Troutman said. “She racks up stats all the time because she makes really smart plays.”
Junior Hannah Dayoub has also been on the volleyball team with Temme for three years. Dayoub agrees that Temme knows how to work the court.
“Her strong qualities in volleyball are her strong swings and ability to get around blocks,” Dayoub said.
In addition to her game skills, both her positivity and her energy during games are some of her strongest qualities, Dayoub said.
Troutman agreed, saying that Temme is compassionate and caring both on and off the court.
“She’s very caring and a good listener. I could talk to her about anything, volleyball related or not,” Troutman said. ”She is always there for anyone on the team, regardless of what it is.”
Temme said the girls on the team have helped her to grow and become a better person.
“All of the girls have had a very positive impact on me because they’ve made me a kinder, better person. They’ve helped me grow in all sorts of ways, such as my leadership skills, my skills on the court, as well as my social skills off the court,” Temme said.
Though she will miss playing with her teammates, Temme is happy she got to be a part of the team.
“They welcomed me with open arms my freshman year. I am going to miss the sport and the girls. But I’m grateful to be closing this chapter and getting to be a part of it,” Temme said.
