Longtime Wellington resident and volleyball enthusiast Ava Rodgers is a freshman at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she is enrolled in the nursing pending program. Outside the classroom, she continues to play competitive club volleyball, as she has been doing for years — first with the Wellington Volleyball Academy and, more recently, with Tribe Volleyball in Deerfield Beach.
At UCF, Rodgers tried out for the women’s club volleyball program, where there are three competitive women’s teams — the A, B and C teams. She played well enough during tryouts to get selected for the A team. She is one of three freshmen to make the women’s club A team.
The club’s first competitive tournament was held in early October at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. She enjoyed the competitive experience.
“It was super fun and enjoyable,” said Rodgers, who graduated from Wellington High School this past May. “We ended up combining a group of mixed girls from each team — A, B and C — to play in the FAU tournament. It was fun getting to play with a different set of amazing players with such high intensity and energy. We ended up placing second in that tournament, which was great for my first tournament and for us being a UCF combine team.”
Rodgers believes that she is a great fit for her UCF volleyball teammates. “I’d love to think that I bring good energy and competitiveness to my team,” said Rodgers, who was the captain of WHS girls varsity volleyball team during her senior year. “I can confidently say that we have such a strong and wholesome team who were so eager and open to accepting me as a new player. I hope and strive to continuously bring my ‘A’ game to the A team and make the environment an even better place.”
Like all good athletic teams, to succeed, you can’t just show up on the day of a game to play. Practice is a necessity.
“We practice three times a week,” Rodgers said. “Typically, it’s Monday from 8:30 to 11 p.m., Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 8:30 to 11 p.m. We split the gym with the men’s club volleyball team, so it’s mainly one big, conjoined practice.”
One of Rodgers’ strengths is her ability to play anywhere on the volleyball court.
“I’ve played about every position there is in volleyball, except libero,” Rodgers said. “The position that’s stuck the most, or that I have most interest in playing, is either right side or outside. I love hitting dearly, but something about being involved in the back row is also very exciting for me, as well.”
According to Rodgers, the great thing about choosing to play competitive club volleyball is that she will be busy playing throughout the school year.
“In the fall, we typically have fewer tournaments,” she explained. “Our schedule this fall was set with four mandatory tournaments and two optional tournaments. In the spring, it should be more competitive with a more stacked schedule and nationals to look forward to, as we get to travel for a few days to another state to play.”
One of the keys to her success on the volleyball court is directly linked to her daily diet.
“I’m always very conscious about what I’m eating and tend to keep a rough estimate every day of how many calories I’m consuming, along with the amount of protein I eat,” said Rodgers, who loves wearing clothing and shoes from Under Armour. “As an athlete, it’s important to be aware of your dietary needs to properly fuel your body throughout the day.”
The next tournament for Rodgers and her teammates will be Saturday, Nov. 9 at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Down the road, Rodgers is hoping to work as a nurse, but she doesn’t rule out a long-term affiliation with volleyball, possibly as a coach.
“I don’t have coaching volleyball set out as a plan for me. However, I wouldn’t mind using it as an alternative path if life leads me to it,” she said. “I’ve been asked by parents [back in South Florida] to coach their kids, and I have experience coaching little kids in both beach and indoor. I would never turn down a good opportunity to be involved in the sport.”
