“She’s a big contributor to the team; not just because of her hitting, but because she’s talented all around,” stated Mansfield Senior Assistant Coach Desiree Holland about star senior volleyball athlete, Elexius Harris.
Since seventh grade and all the way up to her senior year, Harris has been making a statement out on the volleyball court, proving she can fill any role the team may require of her.
Holland commented that she has the talent to be a libero (defensive specialist). “She can dig, block, hit…I mean she’s just a phenomenal player all the way around,” said Holland.
Harris started switching positions on the court during her junior year, discovering some about her versatility: “I never knew I could be a passer,” said Harris.
In this season alone, she broke her hitting record, achieving 22 kills in a single match. She also succeeded in earning the most digs on the team, acquiring nearly 160 digs for the season.
“She kind of shocked us, but she has a lot of passion for this sport,” said her coach.
Holland added that Harris puts in extra effort beyond scheduled practices; she stays later after practice has ended and goes to the gym on Saturdays when there aren’t any matches so that she can strengthen her skills.
Further, Harris excels in the classroom. Holland reported that she maintains a 3.2 GPA and is currently ranked fifteenth her in class.
Although the Tyger’s season thus far has not met her personal expectations, Harris stated, “We’ve had our ups and downs, but other than that I’ve enjoyed my season because I got to play my sport.”
When she began playing the volleyball in middle school, she wasn’t quite convinced whether she would like it or not: “The first few practices I didn’t like it because I kept getting hit in the face, but after that I started to like it,” she said and laughed.
Fortunately, those hits to the head didn’t discourage her from giving the sport up. She proved herself to be one of the better players on the middle school team, said Holland, and was able to make the varsity team during her freshman year—a notable accomplishment given that she surpassed both the freshman and junior varsity teams.
In addition to participating in volleyball, Harris has played basketball and intends to cheerlead this winter.
After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Political Science degree at Urbana University and play on their Division II volleyball team. With her degree, she would like to enter into the law profession: “I can argue with people,” she stated and smiled.
“We’re going to miss her, definitely,” said Holland. However, the coach hopes for a bright future for her graduating senior, “I hope that Elexius gets a great education first and foremost and that she goes to the next skill level when she plays on the college volleyball team.”
