Some members of the Highlands volleyball team aren’t going to let a pandemic stand in the way of getting their summer work in while schools are closed.
Players Jordan Carrier and Tessa Wisniewski, both seniors, and sophomore India Clark endured more than 10 hours of intense summer heat to take the title of a Rox Beach Series grass volleyball tournament held July 11, in Greenville, South Carolina. The ladies ran with the competition of mostly local volleyball players with an 11-2 set record.
“It was really hot,” Carrier said on Friday. “We got there at seven in the morning and played all day. There were a few players in the tournament I recognized, but most of the teams came from South Carolina.”
Carrier said it felt good to get back on the court, even if it did look like someone’s front lawn.
“This isn’t the beach,” she said. “So, there’s no sand here and we played on grass.”
The game is the same as three-on-three beach volleyball, just on grass.
“Teamwork is critical in three-on-three volleyball,” she said. “With only three players you have to work together. It’s a great way to get in shape.”
Carrier said social distancing guidelines were observed during the tournament and it was outside.
“It was really good to play,” she said. “I try to play every weekend if there’s a tournament somewhere nearby.”
Playing in the tournament was something that came about at the last minute.
“Tessa called and asked if I was interested in playing that Saturday and we went down and played,” Carrier said.
Carrier loves to play volleyball and just wants to be on the court, whenever and however she can.
“I love playing volleyball and would play every weekend if I could. I want to do it every time, I love it so much.”
Currently, the NCHSAA has suspended the start of all fall sports until September because of COVID-19. While concerned about the fate of scholastic fall sports, Carrier said she doesn’t care how abbreviated the fall seasons might be, she just wants one more chance to play.
“It’s weird to think it’s not going to be normal,” she said. “I just want to be able to play.”
While she loves playing both sports, the two-sport star actually prefers volleyball over basketball, and while she wants to play either sport on the collegiate level, it’s not a big deal of it doesn’t come to pass.
“I’ll play intramurals otherwise,” she said. “I want to go to a really large school, like Auburn, but if something comes up with playing at a smaller school, that’s okay too.”
But in her senior season of high school, Carrier just wants to play.
“This fall, ten matches and the tournament, I don’t care how short the season is, I just want to play.”