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09/21/2023 08:57 AMWhen it comes to craving the court within the confines of the sport of volleyball, Nicole Brown seeks out the moments where the entire unit of the team synchronizes on the court to create the near-perfect point–and her passion for the game and her teammates has led her to earn a lofty appointment on her squad.
The East Haven volleyball team senior outside hitter started on the court in 6th grade, after previously trying soccer and being a dancer for seven years. Nicole, a 2023 senior captain, four-year member, and two-year starter for the East Haven squad, is now back for her final campaign with the Yellowjackets to help lead them back to prominence, prosperity, and the postseason.
“I look forward to volleyball and practice every day and seeing everyone on the team,” says Nicole. “I love playing right-side outside hitter and working with the setter. What has helped me with the sport is staying motivated and never giving up. Playing in the offseason also helped me with getting better and getting ready for this year.”
As a focal point of the offensive output for East Haven, Nicole relishes in the moments of synergy with the setters when everything is in sync to secure a point for the Yellowjackets. She notes there are times when she faces rejection from the opposing side, though she keeps her body and head in the game and just powers through that much more intensely.
“I have played mainly on the right side since I started varsity,” Nicole says. “I like getting a good hit off my setters, and I have been trying to hit down the line more. Playing the position can be harder when you are getting blocked up front by the opponent, but then I know I just have to keep trying and hitting to my full abilities.”
Head Coach Craig Brown explains that the Yellowjackets are pushing toward getting back to their former standard of prominence and prosperity, and Nicole will be at the forefront of that movement this fall with her tenacity and indelible intangibles as a captain.
“We will be looking to Nicole for her intensity. As a program, we are looking to get back to our old standard of winning [with] being a minimum of .500 record wise, qualifying for the SCC Tournament, and qualifying for the state tournament,” says Brown. “Nicole is the type of player that will hold her teammates accountable. Each successful team has that locker room leadership. We are trying to build back a winning culture. Nicole is pushing her teammates to not just be good enough, but to excel, and to make each player make the next touch more controlled and with purpose. With a continued push for excellence, we should be putting ourselves into a greater position to win games and develop into a stronger program.”
Constructing a more cohesive unit has been at the forefront of the collective captains’ mind, according to Nicole. She notes that only in the infancy stages of the campaign, the off-the-court events have sparked some energy on the floor for the Yellowjackets.
“Being a captain has been good so far, and I love working with the other captains,” Nicole says. “We have been working hard to develop better team chemistry. We have done some team events to help with that. Coach Brown expects a lot from us, which is great I think. I like having that leadership role with the girls and having the younger girls looking up to me.”
As the years have worn on, Nicole has harbored a fiery passion for the game that has only burned brighter and brighter–which has fueled her to be in the top of her class academically while being recognized as one of the better offensive-minded competitors in the Southern Connecticut Conference.
“At the beginning of high school, I took volleyball seriously, but I feel I have more motivation now for this year,” says Nicole. “Even if we are down in a match, I know we have to keep pushing through. Physically, I have gotten stronger with hitting harder and jumping higher. I don’t know if I will play volleyball in college, but for now, I want to be a strong hitter a setter can depend on. I want to improve in all areas of my game. I would also like to be in the top 5 of my class academically and stay in the National Honor Society.”
Through the ups and downs of a volleyball contest that can be as swift as a three-set sweep or as lengthy, demanding, and drama-filled as a five-set thriller, Nicole has learned to embrace the twists and turns of life no matter which way the ball bounces and falls–something her squad has fully taken to heart.
“This year, we definitely want to win more games than last year, and we have a better mindset this year,” Nicole says. “We know when you lose a point, set, or even a match, it doesn’t mean you will lose the next one. The team chemistry here has helped us be better in games. Being close as a team has helped us on the court, and we want to hopefully make states this season. Even through rough spots, you can push through them all and learn from them. We had a five-set scrimmage against Morgan this year that we lost, but we just had fun in the game. We still learned a lot from it, and never gave up until the end.”