CALEDONIA — Morgan Smith figured Caledonia High School volleyball coach Samantha Brooks was up to something when she recently texted her and asked her for her height and her address.
Smith responded to her coach’s query but forgot about it before she could investigate why her coach wanted the information.
The Caledonia High junior setter was reminded of Brooks’ text a little later when her mother teased her with what she suspected was a piece of news. Her mother, though, quickly played it off.
“She was like, ‘Oh, you’re going to be excited,’ ” Smith said. “I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘Nothing. I am just playing with you.’ ”
Last week, Smith finally learned the secret they had been keeping from her when Brooks announced in front of the volleyball team that Smith was selected to participate in the Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star game. The annual event will feature 24 of the state’s top rising juniors July 17, 2013, at Mississippi College in Clinton.
Smith was about to leave the team meeting to go to a church function, but Brooks didn’t let her leave until her mother arrived so she could spring the news on her.
“I had no idea about it. None,” said Smith, who is 5-foot-5 and has been playing volleyball for four years. “When she made the announcement about it at our volleyball meeting, I was like, ‘Ohhhh, that’s what it was for.’ ”
Smith played an integral role in helping Caledonia finished 23-5 and advance to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1 semifinals. Smith helped orchestrate the Lady Confederates’ offense as setter, and also had opportunities to be a hitter.
“Our team had a great season,” Smith said. “At the beginning of the year, we were worried after losing last year’s seniors. We were worried that we were going to be able to step it up and fill their shoes. I think we did a really good job of bonding as a team.
“As for me, I had to step up pretty big. It was challenging. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it, but I love setting.”
Brooks felt her other two juniors — Elisabeth Shepherd and Elisha Collins — also were worthy of being selected. She praised Smith for working hard in the offseason to improve her jumping ability so she could be a hitter.
But Smith said setter is her true position. She said people have told her would have to step in for setter Marlana Dolan. Smith wondered for the past two years if she would be able to play that role, and admitted to being nervous about it, but she feels it has worked out.
Brooks said Smith has developed into a confident and deserving leader.
“I am really proud Morgan was selected to get the opportunity to shine,” Brooks said. “She is a hard worker. If she wants something, she is going to go for it. She is going to do it no matter what and she will achieve it.”
Smith, who doesn’t play club volleyball, said she will stay in shape by playing volleyball at the YMCA and by playing at the beach volleyball area in Caledonia whenever she can. Her goal is to earn a scholarship to play volleyball in college. She said she will do whatever she can from now until July to keep her hands on a ball so she is ready for a chance to showcase her skills to college coaches and the rest of the state.
“You have to have a great setter to have a great team,” Brooks said. “She has a good court sense and she knows her hitters.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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