As the 2022 volleyball season kicks off, there have been amazing games won by the Crystal Lake Central Girls Volleyball team. Here is an interview with Mykeala Wallen #5 who plays on varsity. 

How did you get into volleyball?

I started camps playing volleyball when I was 8 or 9, and I started playing competitively when I was 10. At 10, I knew that volleyball was going to be my main sport, so I dropped everything else and started to really love the game. 

What position do you play?

I’m a full-rotation outside hitter. 

Who would you say inspires and motivates you to keep playing volleyball?

My parents have always been incredibly supportive of what I do, but the only person I really play for is myself. I love the feeling of working hard towards something and then achieving it and that’s exactly what volleyball does. It can be winning a game or just something simple in practice.

Do you or the team have any pre-game rituals before each game?
Before every Varsity game, we read “The Ode” which is basically a poem to get us hyped, written by a secret teacher at our school named Bill.

What advice would you give younger people just getting into volleyball?

Stay with it because the more you play, the more fun the game will be. 

What is it like being part of a team?
Being part of a team is like having an extended family because seeing someone once a day for 3+ hours not only builds bonds on the court but also off the court. We are all honestly one big family. 

What do you do during the offseason from school volleyball?

In my school off-season, I play club for Sky High and when that season is over, I play beach volleyball for Progression.