Kelly Kinney, a senior at the King’s Academy, is a talented volleyball player who is now reaping the benefits of her dedication to the sport of volleyball.
In addition to being the captain of TKA’s girls varsity volleyball team this fall, Kinney has been chosen to participate in the Under Armour All-American High School Volleyball Game, which will be played on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando on Jan. 1, 2025. She is one of 26 high school senior girls who have been selected to play in this by-invitation-only all-star contest. The game will be streamed on ESPN.
Kinney, who stands 6-foot-2 and is a talented outside hitter, has known for a few months that she will be playing in the game. She found out after participating in a special USA Volleyball-organized camp last June, but the news was not officially released until early October.
“On Oct. 4, during a homecoming pep rally at my school, our athletic director made the announcement, and my parents were there, too,” Kinney said. “It was a surprise announcement. I am very thankful and grateful for this opportunity.”
This is the latest in a series of memorable volleyball experiences for Kinney, who will be playing collegiate volleyball next fall for the University of Minnesota, which is a member of the Big Ten Conference.
In June, Kinney was a member of the Deerfield Beach-based Tribe travel volleyball U17 National AAU Championship team. In July, she was a member of the USA Volleyball U19 team that won the Continental Championship played in Honduras.
In addition to being a member of the girls varsity volleyball team at TKA, Kinney also plays for the girls varsity beach volleyball team in the spring.
When she is not practicing volleyball, playing volleyball or traveling to USA Volleyball-organized competitions, Kinney enjoys reading, spending time with friends and binge-watching her favorite TV show, Supernatural. She also likes to get some rest so she can keep up with her busy academic and athletic schedule.
“I do like to sleep,” added Kinney, who has maintained an impressive 4.0 grade point average.
In addition to circling Jan. 1 on her calendar, Kinney is also thinking about her competitive collegiate future at the University of Minnesota, which will start when she arrives on campus in Minneapolis on June 7 of next year. But, for right now, she is focused on leading the TKA volleyball team to the school’s first-ever state championship in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 3A division.
This fall’s Class 3A state championship game is scheduled to be played Nov. 6 in Winter Haven. Playing in that FHSAA state championship match would be a fitting conclusion to a high school career for Kinney, who enjoys reaping the benefits of her dedication to the sport of volleyball.
