Sweat trickled down her face, as she anticipated the other team’s next move. Bending over and touching the floor for good luck, she kept her eyes trained on her opponent. The opposing side’s player threw the ball in the air. The smack was heard throughout the gym while the ball flew over to the other side.

Save!
The ball is bumped off in the other direction. She sprints to it, going full speed. Carefully, she places herself under it and thrusts it upward into the perfect set. Bam! You could hear the hit go all the way to Montana.

Lindsey Ledyard happens to be the only freshman playing on Cedar Park High School’s varsity volleyball team. Passing up a senior, she took the position of starting setter one of the captains on the team. Though for most people, being the only freshman would be nerve racking, Ledyard handles it with ease.

“I’m proud of working hard enough to make it,” Ledyard said. “And the older girls have really made me feel welcome.”

Playing since she was eight years old in second grade, she has improved a lot and made a lot of progress. Ledyard also plays club volleyball for Austin Juniors and has traveled around the country to compete.

“About two years ago, my club volleyball team got to travel to the Junior Olympics,” Ledyard said. “Last year I went to Washington D.C. and this year I think that we’re going to Indiana.”

Going through many clubs and many teams, Ledyard has had a variety of coaches.

“Coach Kathy is my favorite coach,” Ledyard said. “She is my club coach and she made me the player I am today. She is like my second mom. She inspires me to be a better player and I play for her.”

Speaking of her inspirations, sister Jordan Ledyard who is now a freshman in college, is another inspiration to her. Her sister played for three years before finally taking a break for her senior year. She pushed her little sister in the direction of volleyball and now is a sport they both love to play.

“When I was little, my older sister played volleyball, and she made me want to do it,” Ledyard said.

Playing as starting setter can be very frustrating at times, but rewarding. Starting setter means that you are in the first set of the match with the position of setter. Ledyard though, has been in many pressure situations before and knows how to handle them.

“It is a little stressful, because it is a huge responsibility,” Ledyard said. “But it’s also really fun because when they get a good kill, I know it was from me, so it makes me feel like I put it where they like it.”

Ledyard plans on sticking with volleyball throughout high school and making a college team.

“I hope to go on and play in college,” Ledyard said. “That has been my dream since I started playing.”