By Tyler Elliott

At 3:15, another day of classes has concluded at Mount Vernon High School. Some students leave the building and do their own things, but for others, the grind of a sports practice is just beginning. As you walk by you’ll hear yelling, coaching and the squeak of shoes on the court. Among those players trying to get better is Rachel Axtell, a valuable member of the Mount Vernon volleyball team working to continue her teams success.

Axtell, a sophomore at Mount Vernon, started playing volleyball when she was in fourth grade. She started the sport because a lot of her friends were playing and she received encouragement from head coach Maggie Willems. “Probably Mrs. Willems influenced me the most since nobody else in my family played,” Axtell said. She has played volleyball ever since then to the point where it is her favorite sport.

Axtell said getting a kill, ace, or even a pass to set up a good kill pumps her up as well as the team. Momentum shifters like those could change the outcome of the game. But to Axtell, the most important part isn’t about what she can do on the court. “The best part is being able to have teammates with me, and making friends is the most fun,” Axtell said. As the competitive player she is, winning and losing doesn’t matter as much as being on the court having fun with her teammates.

Axtell played on the state semi-final team this past year before they fell to Tipton in the fourth set. Her favorite part about volleyball was the state appearance. “The feeling was so surreal,” Axtell said. Even with the great season they had, the team endured some setbacks that they fought through. During the season, one of their outside hitters endured an injury that set her out for a period of time. Axtell said that they recognized the player missing, but overcame that and fought through the adversity.

Later on, the team found out that their coach was battling breast cancer. It was tough on the team, as well as the people in the community, and set her out for the first regional postseason game. “I think we tried to keep practices as normal as possible. It was hard when Willems was gone for our first regional game, but I think working past that made our team even stronger,” Axtell said.

In every game, having a positive mindset before and during the game that is being played can increase confidence and play for an athlete. Just like many others, Axtell plays with a positive mindset. The team’s saying this past year was “For each other,” and she took that into account when she would play. “When I’m playing, I don’t think about myself and how if I dive for a ball it’s going to hurt. I think I will do this for my teammates because they deserve it and work hard,” Axtell said.

Axtell knows the importance of the mental aspects of competition. “When I don’t stay positive and think highly, I won’t do what I am capable of,” Axtell said.

Axtell said that she plays the sport year-round to get better for the future. She is participating on a club team from November to June and once that ends, she has to get ready for school ball. The most important advice she would give to others is to stay positive. Since volleyball is a sport that takes time to get better at, if you continue to stay positive, have a good mindset, and believe in yourself and teammates, then their goals can be achieved.