Palpable excitement in the air. The crowd cheers on. She is ready to win. The athlete hears a shrill whistle sound across the court. The thump of a ball being served. The game of volleyball has begun.

Freshman Yagnika Choppadandi, an athlete at LTHS, enjoys playing volleyball and loves everything about the sport.

“What I like about volleyball is how fun it is, and since I’ve always wanted to play volleyball in high school, I’m really enjoying the experience,” Choppadandi said.

Yagnika has always liked volleyball and played a little in middle school, but never officially.

“Volleyball comes a lot easier to me now than it did in middle school, because I have actually played the sport and experienced it,” she said.

She believes that playing volleyball at LTHS has also improved her game and the way she plays.

“I learned a lot about the sport, and my passes are much more controlled than before,” she said.

Yagnika loves volleyball, but like with any sport, there are some challenges that come along with it.

“The problem with playing volleyball is that it’s not constant,” Choppadandi said. “The ball can go anywhere and you might not always be able to pass.”

Another difficulty Choppadandi experiences is others’ judgement and their behavior towards a fellow athlete.

“They judge you and you feel like you’re not good enough to play anymore,” Choppadandi said. “This happened to me, and when I told my friend, she reminded me to ignore what they say and to play how I wanted to.” 

Unfortunately, the volleyball season has ended but Choppadandi learned important lessons and hopes to keep playing and practicing.