Broadway bound: FHS setter headed to Big Apple to play volleyball
Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2007
According to Fayetteville volleyball coach Jessica Phelan, a setter must have the right hands, feet and head to get the job done.
FHS senior setter Kristin Walker has all three attributes, Phelan said, to help her succeed on and off the volleyball court.
Amidst a gathering of family and friends on Wednesday, Walker signed a letter-of-intent to play volleyball for Baruch College, the city university of New York, next fall.
“ I got an e-mail from the coach and thought, ‘ New York City, that’d be fun, ’” Walker said. “ So I went and looked at the school and loved it. ”
At first, Walker’s parents, Kirby and Kathy, were against the idea of their daughter running off to the Big Apple for college. But after seeing the school themselves and speaking with the coaches, they were sold.
Walker, the Lady Bulldogs’ assist leader the past two years, realizes the move from Fayetteville to Manhattan will cause somewhat of a culture shock.
“ It will be a big change from the more laid-back area around here, ” Walker said.
Phelan said Walker will bring leadership and a determination to improve to Baruch’s lineup.
“ She has worked very hard and really understands the game, ” Phelan said before the signing ceremony. “ Baruch College is the real winner today. ”
In her first season as Baruch head coach, Allison Gunther led the 2006 Bearcats to a 14-17 overall record and 6-3 in CUNY Athletic Conference play. Walker’s addition will fill the Bearcats’ need at setter, which is basically the quarterback of a volleyball team.
“ The coach [at Baruch ] is really young and the players are close-knit, ” Walker said. “ They just instantly accepted me as one of their kind of people. ”
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