As an all-league outside hitter in volleyball, Rachel Wilkerson knows the price of playing well.
Wilkerson is a talented senior on a talented Centralia High School’s volleyball team that is again shooting for the playoffs. She knows all about hard work, about pushing herself to be the best she can be. But being good at slamming a game-winning shot to the floor hasn’t eclipsed the classroom. She’s a true definition of student-athlete. Wilkerson has a 3.97 GPA, never getting a B on her report card in high school.
“I just study,” Wilkerson said. “And I do my homework. That’s all you need to do.”
Throughout the years, from grade school up, there’s also been a parent reminding her to focus on her homework.
“My parents are strongly encouraging and they get mad at me if I get bad grades,” Wilkerson said with a smile. “I want to get good grades.”
But as good as Wilkerson is in taking tests and in smacking shots at the net, there’s one thing she admits she’s a little reluctant at doing. That’s talking.
“I’m kind of the one who makes people calm,” Wilkerson said with a smile. “Because I’m not much of a talker. My freshman year I used to not talk to anyone. I used to be really quiet.”
Wilkerson just lets her hard play on the court do her talking. She’s the quiet achiever, inspiring by not what she says but by what she does.
“Rachel is a super steady outside hitter,” said Neil Sharp, Centralia’s volleyball coach. “She’s been working really hard. She continues to improve. She’s such a consistent passer and hitter. She’s super valuable to our team.”
With lots of talent back from last year’s team that finished second in league, Sharp, who is in his 11th season as the Tigers’ volleyball coach, is optimistic about his team. Centralia is certain to have its 11th straight winning season.
“I think that these girls are both talented and experienced,” Sharp said. “If they keep their goals high and continue to commit to improving over the course of the next two to three months then it can be a pretty special season for them as seniors.”
This is a high energy team, one that works hard in practice. But Sharp has noticed they have a tendency to let their foot off the gas at times during a match.
“That’s something we’re actually working on,” Sharp said. “We have been a little bit of a rollercoaster in the summer and at our jamboree. We can come out and whip somebody and let our foot off the gas a little bit. We’ve just got to make sure that they continue to play at their level for entire matches.”
McKenna Smith, a senior who has played on the varsity for the Tigers since her freshman year, has both the intense play and the verbal encouragements to make sure her teammates don’t let up on the accelerator. She’s a team captain with a mission.
“She’s been a steady force in the middle,” Sharp said. “She displays a lot of leadership abilities – on and off the court. We really lean on her to take on the leadership roles.”
Smith is a walking, talking example of commitment. Besides being all-league in volleyball, she’s an all-leaguer in fastpitch. She plays on a club fastpitch team in Tacoma year around, taking only two weeks off in 12 months. During the volleyball season, she practices with her fastpitch team every Sunday and plays in a couple of tournaments around the country. She’s been making that drive to Tacoma for softball practice since she was 10 years old.
She’s already been offered a college scholarship to play softball, but she hasn’t accepted yet. Right now, her focus is on volleyball. Smith sees her role as the “let’s go” energizer.
“I see my role as being a vocal leader,” Smith said. “When it comes to being vocal and upbeat, I think I play a major role in that.”
All teams have the tendency to let up during a match, whether they’re winning big or falling behind.
“I see myself as the one who says pull yourself together,” Smith said. “We have an amazing front row and we have an amazing back row. Of course our amazing setter is back. So, we’re hoping to have a good, all-around season.”
Joelle Mettler, another senior, is the Tigers’ starting setter for the second year, giving her team an experienced leader at that position.
“Joelle has really great hands as a setter,” Sharp said. “She’s really starting to settle in, learning to be more than a setter. She’s expanding her game beyond just setting other people up. She’s getting better at defense. Her serving is really tough.”
Another senior, Jessica Lewis, is on the varsity for the first time. But Sharp is expecting big things from her.
“We’re excited to have her. She mixes right in with the girls,” Sharp said. “It’s great to have her on the team. She continues to get better and wants to make an impact for us. She’ll have chances to do that.”
Besides that drive to win, Sharp has other drives to coach.
“It’s just so much fun to be around the players and to help them set goals and reach them and build confidence in themselves,” Sharp said. “To help them become who they want to be or who they can be – that’s some of the most rewarding parts for me.”
Sharp feels coaching is almost like having a second family.
“We spend a lot of time together. I really enjoy them,” Sharp said. “I still have players who played for me that first season. I get invited to their weddings and things like that. I also have an amazing coaching staff. I get to hang out with some of my best friends in the whole world after work. It’s job number two.”
