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Halbower Unlocks Her Potential as a Middle Hitter

Hunter Halbower has constantly worked hard in order to reach new plateaus as a volleyball player. This fall, the senior spiked her skills to a higher level and emerged as an offensive standout for the Guilford volleyball squad.

Hunter tried out for her volleyball team when she was in 8th grade, but didn’t make it. From that point on, she dedicated herself to playing year-round by participating in club volleyball during the offseason. In her freshman year at the high school, Hunter earned a spot on Guilford’s roster.

Last year, Hunter had to deal with an ankle injury that forced her to miss the postseason. However, she trained every day throughout the offseason and came back strong for the Indians as a senior. Hunter, a middle hitter, recorded 155 kills to go with a team-high 63 blocks this year. She also helped Guilford finish with 20 victories on its way to reaching the SCC Tournament semifinals and the Class L State Tournament quarterfinals.

“A lot of my success has to do with the work I do outside of high-school volleyball. I worked out a lot at camps and clinics over the summer,” says Hunter. “I’m pretty tall at 6-foot-3, so I got away from relying on my height, and worked on my athletic ability.”

Hunter felt that she didn’t have enough zip on the ball when she was trying to hammer home the kills last season. In her senior year, Hunter found a way to send the ball over the net with a little more fire, while also gaining a better sense of the right spot to be on the floor.

“When I was on varsity last year, I wasn’t a strong hitter, but I made a huge switch in that this year, which gave me more confidence,” Hunter says. “I also worked a lot on where I place myself on the court.”

Hunter likes the frenetic pace that comes with playing middle hitter. It’s a position that always keeps Hunter on the move.

“I love the aggressiveness of hitting, and the position is very fast-paced,” Hunter says. “One of the more difficult parts is constantly going back-and-forth between the net.”

While Hunter didn’t serve as one of Guilford’s captains this season, Head Coach Laura Meyer says the senior still provided invaluable leadership and was a role model for the squad.

“Hunter was friendly, always welcoming all the underclassmen, but she was competitive and worked hard to improve her skills, as well as bring the best out of everyone on the team,” says Meyer. “She has grown a lot as a volleyball player, an athlete, and as a high-school student over the past couple of seasons.”

In reflecting on her tenure with the Indians, Hunter feels great appreciation for the kinship that she formed with her teammates. Hunter believes she learned many important life lessons as a result of playing volleyball at Guilford High School.

“Playing here has been one of my greatest experiences. We developed a real sisterhood here,” says Hunter. “The coaches gave us a great platform to learn how to play as a team.”