Our Whole Athlete Training theme was Resilience: pushing through challenges, staying true to yourself, and blocking out the noise. Whether it’s overcoming setbacks, handling social media pressures, or letting go of the fear of others’ opinions, the strongest athletes rise above.
Let’s celebrate those who embrace challenges, adapt, and keep moving forward on and off the court!
Corina Serrano - Austin Juniors Volleyball
Nominated by Colby Arrington, Austin Junior Volleyball Director of Recruiting
Austin Juniors is proud to nominate Corina Serrano for LOVB's March theme of resilience. Corina's path through club volleyball has been filled with challenges both on and off the court. Despite financial circumstances or lack of resources compared to most, Corina has continued to show up for her team and for her future self without any excuses. Corina has been a part of our work program and has consistently held jobs outside of school and club/high school sports to help cover club fees on her own dime. Whether you pass her in our gym on practice nights or lifeguarding at Barton Springs pool, Corina's effort and ability to connect with anyone who walks into the room is second to none. Over the past few months, she has earned multiple NJCAA scholarships and recently committed to continue her academic/athletic career at Odessa College. Finishing out her senior year strong, her AJV 18 Molten team has consistently executed in national qualifiers and has made three consecutive gold brackets in a row. We are so proud of Corina and how she has represented Austin Juniors as an elite athlete, teammate and person.
Hayvn Davis - A5 South
Nominated by Brandy Jones, A5 South Coach
Throughout the season no matter how tough the competition or how rigorous the feedback from her coach, Hayvn always steps up to the plate. Her personality is delightful and she maintains a coachable spirit always. She is an awesome teammate, with a calm and supportive persona. Always ready to learn and eager to apply what she has learned, her volleyball skills have greatly improved even though this is just her first year playing this sport. She has shown the ability to problem solve on and off the court. And she is willing to take risks and try new skills without fear or worry of messing up. It has been my absolute pleasure coaching Hayvn and exposing her to the game of volleyball!
Kate Scherlacher - SCVC
Nominated by Krista Atzinger, Director of SCVC
Kate Scherlacher exemplifies a highly motivated and goal-oriented athlete on our 17Roxy SCVC team. She demonstrates exceptional time management, balancing her rigorous school workload, volleyball commitments, and additional workouts with discipline and efficiency. Despite not always being a starter, Kate uses this as motivation to push herself harder, dedicating extra effort to improving her skills and earning her spot on the court. Her relentless work ethic and determination set her apart as a player who refuses to settle, continuously striving for growth and excellence in both her athletic and academic pursuits.
Layla Cagney - VC United
Nominated by Ainsley Heise, Director of Marketing and Programming
Layla Cagney embodies what it means to embrace challenges and demonstrate resilience. As a new member of VC United, she has shown unwavering dedication from day one. Driving over an hour and a half to practice each night, she arrives early and stays late, always pushing herself to improve. Layla gives 100% effort, 100% of the time, and her determination to grow as an athlete has impressed our staff. She fights for every opportunity on the court and finds ways to contribute, whether in the front row or the back row. Her relentless work ethic and ability to overcome obstacles make her a true example of perseverance.
Elle Pendleton - Union
Nominated by Terri Purichia, Union Club Director
Elle Pendleton is one of the hardest working young ladies I have ever coached!! Elle excels in everything that she does. She is a prime example of resilience because she has lived with a limb difference since birth. When you watch Elle play, you immediately notice her all out effort and positivity towards her teammates and coaches. Then, if you take a deep dive into her volleyball skills, you cannot help but be so impressed with how talented she is as a volleyball player despite her limb difference. She is a strong attacker, an impressive blocker, and a rock star server! As you watch Elle play the game she loves, you never even notice a limb difference, you only see a fierce competitor and a gem of a teammate!
Elle was born missing most of her left hand. It was clear from very early on, Elle would not allow that birth defect to limit her! She set her goals high, and worked to achieve them no matter what it took. Although she has faced many challenges, she has always worked so hard to overcome those challenges. Now she is serving up aces, throwing down kills, and setting up monster blocks for her high school and UNION Travel team!
In addition to Ella being a shining example of resilience, she has compassion and a need to help others! During her high school season this year, Elle helped to raise over $3200 in the Lucky Fin Project! Elle is the epitome of a "highly motivated" and goal oriented young lady! One thing is clear, Ella is the type of resilient teammate you want next to you, and the kind of player you dream of coaching!
Kaisa Alanko- LOVB Houston
Quote by LOVB Houston Head Coach, Massimo Barbolini
I can start telling that Kaisa is really a good player and teammate for the other players. She’s a setter able to play fast, so important in the volleyball of our times, but also able to change her style and the rhythm of the game…and I like it! In this season she did a great job for the team playing whole matches, one half of set(thanks to the great rule of 8 changes) or also playing 3 or 4 rallies a set and I really appreciate this last fact cause it can be really difficult to do. Overall Kaisa plays every moment from the beginning to the end.
