For The Tribune
High school girls enjoy playing volleyball for different reasons.
For Medora’s Katie Beesley, she said, “It’s a really good stress reliever, like from school or if anything at home happens, I can always count on practice to take out my stress.
“Mainly, I enjoy my teammates and how we all function together on the court. Like we may not be friends outside the court, but on the court, we have to be friends.”
Beesley said she began playing volleyball in the gym, around 3 or 4 years old, when her mother, Kristina, was coaching the Hornets.
“My mother has always raised me up,” Beesley said. “I would go to practices, and she would be telling them what to do, and I would always be on the side passing the ball to myself or to the wall trying to be like them.”
The senior plays all-around and been a four-year starter for the Hornets.
This year, Beesley is doing some setting and plays in the middle when she is in the front row.
Beesley said she prefers playing in the front row so she can attack and block.
She said teamwork and communication are keys in attacking and blocking.
“If they see there is an open spot either in back corner or back middle, they’ll go ‘back middle’ or ‘back side,’” Beesley said. “Communication is super-important for a volleyball team. It’s mainly to avoid mistakes. With communication, you will make less mistakes so you know who is going to go and get what.”
On the schedule, Beesley enjoys the matches at the Hornets’ Nest.
She says she tries to set a good example for the elementary school girls that attend the matches.
“They can look up to me and say, ‘I want to be like her whenever I play,’” Beesley said. “The mental part of sports should be very important because everything you do mentally shows how you do physically.”
For Beesley, her favorite away gym to play in is Crothersville because of the rivalry factor.
Medora is playing a varsity-only schedule this season because of a shortage of players, and Beesley misses having a junior varsity team.
“It’s always so fun watching them, and you can learn from them,” Beesley said.
Beesley said she has enjoyed being a student at Medora.
“I’ve loved it,” she said. “Everybody knows everybody, and you don’t need to be shy or anything of people. I like how the teachers can do one-on-one with you. They always make learning fun. They don’t just do paper and pencil. They actually get you involved in what you’re doing.
“I’m really going to miss volleyball after this year. I’ll miss the bus rides and how close I am to my teammates, my coach and all that fun stuff.”
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Name: Katelin Beesley
School: Medora High School
Parents: Kristina and Chad Beesley
Sport: Volleyball, four years
Athletic honors: Serving award, passing award, hitting award
Organizations: Beta Club, student council
Plans after high school: Attend college
Favorite food: Chinese food, shrimp, crab cakes
Favorite TV show: “Supernatural”
Favorite musician: Ed Sheeran
Favorite movie: “The Cronies”
Favorite team: Cleveland Cavaliers
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