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10/25/2018 12:00 AMLeading up to her third season as a member of the Hand girls’ volleyball squad, Allie Nelson took it upon herself to go the extra mile and start playing the sport on a year-round basis. The effort that Allie put in throughout the offseason is helping the junior play a new position with proficiency for the Tigers this fall.
After playing middle hitter her first two years, Allie switched to the outside hitter position in the 2018 campaign. Allie, who competed for the Husky Volleyball club team during the offseason, has adjusted smoothly to her new spot on the court. Thus far, Allie has racked up 141 kills to go with 52 digs and 50 aces for Hand, which recently secured a berth in the Class L State Tournament.
“The support from my friends and the team made me really like the sport. It’s a great group of girls that has pushed me to work hard,” says Allie. “At the end of last season, my coaches encouraged me to do Husky Volleyball in the offseason. It took me to the next level. It made me work hard. But also for us this year, teamwork has been important.”
While manning the outside flank, Allie likes the fact that she has a chance to make a play during each point in every game. One of the biggest challenges for Allie as an outside hitter is knowing the right way to attack the ball at a moment’s notice.
“My favorite part about the outside is that you’re more engaged in the game, because you can play all around the court,” Allie says. “The worst part of it is probably knowing when to either tip, hit, or low-shot the ball.”
Still, Allie says that she enjoys playing outside hitter and feels the transition has been pretty seamless. Allie also thinks that her skills at the service line have been on the rise this season.
“I liked being the middle hitter, but the coaches thought I’d be better as an outside hitter, and I honestly like it a lot more,” she says. “In my freshman and sophomore years, I struggled on serving. Through Husky, I was taught how to improve on my serves, and my jump-float serve has helped.”
Hand’s Head Coach Ally Johnson feels that Allie’s extra effort is paying massive dividends for both Allie and the Tigers. Johnson adds that Allie always prioritizes the success of her team above any individual achievements.
“There are many things that make Allie a strong athlete, but the thing that stands out the most to me is her work ethic. Allie dedicated her entire offseason to volleyball and came back this season stronger than ever. She has continued to work just as hard throughout this season and is always looking for ways to improve her game,” Coach Johnson says. “Allie truly is one of the hardest-working athletes that I have ever coached. Her front-row game has been a big factor in her team’s success. Allie is the true definition of a teammate. She is always supporting her teammates and truly values the word, ‘Team.’”
Now that she’s in her upperclass years, Allie is relishing her role as a mentor for Hand’s freshman and sophomore athletes. While she feels pleased that Hand has earned the wins it needed to get back in postseason, Allie wants the Tigers to be more than simply a happy participant.
“It’s nice to be a role model for the younger kids. I like to talk to them, and it’s nice to be around them,” says Allie. “We have to work together, and having a lot of energy helps us extremely, especially at home games. Coach Johnson always tells us that we want to get more than eight wins in order to help us feel more comfortable heading into the postseason.”