HUGE PRESENCE WELLS ISN'T BIG, EXCEPT HER PLAY.Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer VALENCIA - On a girls' volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. team long on talent, one of the smaller players at Valencia High is a rising star. Senior outside hitter Lauren Wells quickly is emerging as the focal point focal point n. See focus. for the Vikings, drawing rave reviews despite a lack of height. ``Coaches come up to me saying, 'I'm sure a lot of people talk to you about your bigger players, but No. 33, that kid is amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. , she really gives it everything she has. I wish I had a player like that on my team,' '' Valencia coach Ray Sanchez said. ``And it wasn't just coaches from one or two teams, there was a lot of them. Unfortunately, because of her height. I think she gets overlooked in the recruiting.'' Wells acknowledges she's stretching a bit when she says she's 5-foot-8. Size long has been an issue for Wells. She didn't begin playing volleyball until her freshman year, when she realized her future as a gymnast was limited because she was growing too much. Her parents wanted her to remain active in sports, so she chose volleyball, a sport her father played at Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
``I wasn't sure I wanted to play,'' Wells said. ``But my parents made me. As soon as I started, I loved it.'' The Vikings love the decision, too. Wells was a first team All-Foothill League selection as a junior, helping Valencia repeat as league champion. Surrounded sur·round tr.v. sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds 1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle. 2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication. n. by talented seniors such as Asha Asha in moral sphere, presides over righteousness. [Zoroastrianism: Jobes, 138] See : Justice Kakonde, Nicole Piva and UC Irvine-bound setter setter: see sporting dog. setter Any of three breeds derived from a medieval hunting dog that would set (lie down) when it found birds so that it and the birds could be covered with a net. Setters have long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. Taryn Robertson, Wells has been even better this season. ``We knew she was going to be good for us,'' Sanchez said. ``But the last few weeks, she's really stepped up for us.'' Wells had a team-high 10 kills and five aces Tuesday in a three-game victory over Saugus, which had been unbeaten in Foothill League play. A few colleges on the East Coast have shown interest in Wells, but she would prefer to play closer to home. She's not worried about impressing recruiters - or anyone, for that matter - while focusing on helping Valencia win a championship. ``People don't expect me to be as good because I'm small,'' Wells said. ``But when they see me play, I don't think it's an issue anymore. I don't go out there thinking I have to do more. I just want to work my hardest. I want to go to CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). (playoffs) like everyone else.'' Heather Gripp, (818) 713-3607 heather.gripp(at)dailynews.com |
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