By Ken Hansard
Wichita West High senior Kennedy Khamvongsa is a middle hitter for the Pioneers’ volleyball team. She is also a decorated three-sport athlete who will have many options available to her when she graduates in May. But for now, Khamvongsa is just looking forward to one final run with her teammates. “I’m looking forward to winning and seeing how much our team has grown over the past year.”
A lot of the Pioneers’ growth as a team will hinge on Khamvongsa. As a junior last year, Kennedy showed a lot of grit and determination, bouncing back from a torn ACL to become an All-City performer. “My biggest thing was getting my confidence and strength back, and being able to execute the way I did before. I’ve spent a lot of my time in the gym, and I believe it is paying off.”
Khamvongsa knows that it is incumbent upon her, as a senior, to set the tone for her teammates, “I’m a captain on the team, and others view me as the energy that keeps everyone motivated on and off the court. One of the main challenges for our team is going to be maintaining that energy despite any mistakes or disagreements. I feel like we’ve progressed a lot over the past year. We’ve all put in a ton of work this summer, and hopefully it will pay off this upcoming season.”
Khamvongsa, who says that she started playing sports because she has “always enjoyed staying busy,” seems to have no problem occupying her time. Along with volleyball, she has participated and lettered in basketball and track, where she placed seventh at state in the long jump. Despite her busy sports schedule, Kennedy finds time to star in the classroom, also. She is an honor roll student who carries a 3.7 GPA, is in the top 10% of her class, is a member of the Pioneers’ student leadership team, and she is also a member of the National Honors Society. All that – and she still finds time and energy to serve as a section leader for the orchestra.
After high school, Kennedy plans to go to college. She would like to attend Texas A&M and pursue a career in the medical field or as a veterinarian. She hopes to land scholarships for both athletics and academics.
