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10/16/2022 11:12 AMBy Gabrielle Hurlbut
Special to the Courier
Sarah Herrera is a standout athlete for the North Haven girls’ volleyball team, serving as a strong leader both on and off the court. Sarah is no stranger to the volleyball court, having played the sport since she was a freshman in high school. Sarah’s four years of playing at the competitive level have shaped her into a versatile athlete and a great teammate as she leads the Nighthawks as a senior this year.
Sarah fell in love with volleyball at a young age after watching other people play the sport. Sarah’s middle school did not have a volleyball team when she was in 8th grade, but she thought that it was cool to see the high intensity of the game.
“I would practice for hours every single day in my backyard,” says Sarah.
With no volleyball team at her middle school, Sarah took the initiative to learn volleyball techniques on her own and sharpen up her skills prior to attending high school. One of the biggest challenges that Sarah faced was when she moved to North Haven for her sophomore year. After attending Platt Tech in Milford and playing volleyball there, Sarah came to North Haven and not only had to focus on transitioning to a new town and school, but also a new volleyball program.
“I went to sophomore tryouts two days late, so I had two less days than everyone else to show that I wanted to be there,” Sarah says.
Sarah quickly realized that the North Haven volleyball squad was a “very competitive team.” It was a tough transition for Sarah at times since everyone else on the team already knew each other. However, once she got acclimated and got to know the other players on the team, that transition became a lot easier for Sarah.
After playing on the JV team in her sophomore year, Sarah made the varsity roster for her junior season. While moving up to varsity, Sarah also started playing a new position for the Nighthawks. Sarah had been a setter for her first two years in the program, but Head Coach Brianna Kleckner asked her to become defensive specialist.
Learning a new position can certainly come with challenges, but Sarah welcomed those obstacles. When she became a defensive specialist as a junior, Sarah was primarily focused on passing and perfecting her skills on defense.
“Setter was the only position I really understood and knew how to play,” says Sarah. “Playing [defensive specialist] allowed me to see the court in a very different view.”
The experience that Sarah gained as a defensive specialist is paying dividends for her as she moves back into the setter’s role this year. Coach Kleckner says that Sarah’s performance as a setter is playing a big part in the success of a Nighthawks’ team that has a record of 8-4 on the season.
“Sarah seamlessly transitioned into that position this year,” Kleckner says. “She has done a tremendous job balancing the pressure that comes with that position.”
Sarah embraces the responsibility that comes with being a setter. She loves contributing to North Haven’s success by being involved in every play.
“I never step off the court the whole time,” Sarah says.
Coach Kleckner describes Sarah as an athlete who is coachable, accepts feedback, and has good relationships with her teammates. While Sarah isn’t a captain for the Nighthawks, the senior still considers herself a leader on the team.
“I decide not to run for captain this year, because I wanted to focus on getting back into setting and running the offense,” says Sarah. “Being on the court for the entirety of the game, I feel like a leader without the title.”
One of Sarah’s favorite things about the North Haven girls’ volleyball program is the unity among the Nighthawks. Sarah describes her teammates as a supportive group.
“We are all friends on and off the court. We get along so well, we go out to lunch together, and we all know everyone,” Sarah says. “We always hype each other up.”
Sarah and her teammates are together six days a week for three hours a day, but she says it never feels that long, because she loves being out there on the court with everyone. Sarah believes that the energy her teammates bring to matches helps North Haven succeed. Sarah enjoys the intensity of the sport and likes that there is never a dull moment for her as she plays the setter’s position.
While she isn’t planning on playing volleyball competitively at the collegiate level, Sarah wants to stay involved in the sport after she graduates from North Haven. Sarah is hoping to get involved with a club or intramural team when she attends college. She’s looking forward to having a healthy balance of schoolwork, volleyball, and college life.
Coach Kleckner says that Sarah’s presence will be missed on the North Haven girls’ volleyball team next season. In the end, Kleckner feels grateful for having had the opportunity to work with her.
“Sarah has shown a tremendous amount of growth,” says Kleckner. “She’s come quite a long way.”