Volleyball Captains Reflect on Volleyball Careers

Bump%2C+Set%2C+Spike%2C+Win%3A+Seniors+Jenna+Campbell%2C+Chelsea+Howard%2C+and+Pressley+Perkins+prepare+for+a+successful+volleyball+season+by+training+the+team+and+boosting+morale.+

Olivia Chewning

Bump, Set, Spike, Win: Seniors Jenna Campbell, Chelsea Howard, and Pressley Perkins prepare for a successful volleyball season by training the team and boosting morale.

Senior year for all North Atlanta student-athletes the culmination of four years of grueling work both in the classroom and out on the playing field. For senior volleyball captains Pressley Perkins, Jenna Campbell and Chelsea Howard, this year is all about reaching peak performance and finishing out strong.

For all three captains, keeping up morale and rallying the squad is a major part of the job. In the challenging 6A region, which includes powerhouses such as Cambridge and Pope, The Warriors look to make a name for themselves and grow the program as a whole to elevate it to the next level. “We have grown a lot since my freshman year,” said Perkins, a four-year varsity player. “The talent pool has certainly grown and I’ve seen an overall growth in the confidence of the program with our new coaching staff.”

In the 2018 campaign, the Warriors finished with a 5 win 12 loss record, going 1 and 7 in regional play. Despite tough competition, all three look to continue to boost morale and rally the team in order to keep improving. “We always want to keep the team’s morale up,” said Campbell. “We are like a family, so we know that we can always rally together no matter what.”

Apart from the hard work they put in on the court, like many other scholarly seniors all three captains are enrolled in the rigorous IB program. Howard says that although volleyball is an important part of her life, so is maintaining her grades. “Over these four years, the biggest challenge is learning how to manage both my athletics and my academics,” she said. “I’ve learned how to organize my time efficiently so that I can be successful at both.”

All three hope that their academic and athletic experiences will help them succeed more in the next stage of their education. Howard is being scouted by many colleges, and hopes to continue her volleyball career into her higher education. Perkins, who is not planning on playing volleyball in college, hopes to attend Auburn University next fall and go into the school’s nursing program. Campbell is still undecided on where she will continue her education.

As their legacy comes to a close at North Atlanta, it is certain that their impact on Warrior volleyball will be seen in the program for years to come.