Eisenhower senior Emilee George is looking forward to making the most of her final season on the volleyball court, especially with a group of teammates she has grown up playing alongside.
With six seniors on the team, George said the Tigers have developed a strong bond over the years. Many of the seniors have played together since seventh grade, creating a foundation of experience and chemistry heading into the season.
“I am also excited for every gameday and tournament because I am getting to play with my best friends one last time,” George said.
One of George’s favorite parts of the season is the team’s bonding activities. As seniors, the players are assigned four or five underclassmen to form “families,” giving them opportunities to complete bonding exercises and drills together.
“It’s always fun and an easy way to get closer to my teammates,” George said.
George also looks forward to the team’s annual sub-state breakfast at Marilyn’s house, another tradition she said makes the season special.
While George values the team’s chemistry, she has spent the offseason working to improve her game. She has made an effort to get into the gym whenever she has free time, often going with friends but also taking advantage of opportunities to work on her skills on her own.
Finding time has not always been easy because George also plays softball, but she has tried to make the most of the time she has available.
This season, George is concentrating on becoming a stronger defensive player while improving the consistency of her serve. She has worked on her positioning and staying low to better get through balls and keep them off the floor.
On the service line, George wants to become more consistent while making her serves more difficult for opponents to handle.
“I want to become more consistent while also making my serves tougher and harder for the other team to handle,” George said.
George enters the season with a strong résumé. Last season, she recorded 363 assists, 149 digs, 81 kills, 24 blocks and 23 aces. She also earned honorable mention all-league recognition and first-team academic honors.
As a senior captain, George has set both individual and team goals for her final season. She wants to surpass her assist total from last season, record more aces and improve her hitting percentage.
She also wants to use her final season to help the younger players on the team.
“I also want to be the best role model for the underclassmen and the strongest leader I can be for my team as captain this year,” George said.
The Tigers have set ambitious goals as a team: win the league title, host sub-state, win sub-state and compete at the state tournament.
George believes Eisenhower has the experience and chemistry necessary to make a deep postseason run.
“We all have the same mindset this year and are willing to push each other to reach our goals,” George said.
For George, though, the season is about more than wins and statistics. With her final year of high school volleyball ahead, she wants to enjoy every opportunity to compete alongside the teammates who have been part of her journey.
“We are 100% capable of meeting these goals while also having fun,” George said.
To nominate someone for a story email [email protected]
