Girls volleyball: Senior Ellie Cary’s journey in volleyball 

Senior Ellie Cary first fell in love with volleyball on a trip to Mexico in fifth grade. While walking down the beach with her family, she came across a pickup-beach game. Her dad pushed her into the game, and a ten-year-old Cary felt a click as she dove into the sand with a group of strangers.

That was Cary’s first time playing volleyball, and now she’s looking to play volleyball in college, travels as far as New Orleans for volleyball tournaments, and was named an all-league junior for the varsity team last year. At each phase of Cary’s volleyball career, she has encountered an opportunity to better herself. And that started at Kennedy Middle School, when Cary first tried out for the 6/7 grade team. MIddle school volleyball taught Cary the fundamentals of the sport, and it taught her about success. All three of Cary’s KMS volleyball teams won the league finals, a three-peat.

But when Cary reached high school, she found that she had to work for the win as she was surrounded by more peers who were truly committed to volleyball. Although Cary hoped to make the varsity team as a freshman, she was placed on JV, and there she learned about team chemistry, and how to win with hard work.

Even though Cary loves the game, the bonds she has made with the people who have supported her. In particular, her number one fan is her father, who is the one who comes to every game and drives her to every practice.

And as for teammates, Cary has leaned on senior Selena Liu, Cary’s neighbor. Since middle school, Cary and Liu have practiced volleyball in their backyards.

Inspired by the success of her high school years, Cary has informally decided to only play college volleyball if it is at the high D1 or D2 level, for she believes her passion for the sport demands a high level of play.