St. Pius X senior Jena Otec had one thing in mind when the volleyball season started in August – win a state championship. Two months later, she and her teammates realized that goal when the Lancers beat Hermann to win the Class 2 championship. St. Pius reached the final four all four years Otec was on the team, and she earned all-state recognition all four years from the Missouri Volleyball Coaches Association. Next fall, she’ll take her all-around game to West Lafayette, Ind. where she will play for Purdue University.
My love for volleyball started when I was in the third grade playing for my grade school team at Our Lady School. At my first practice, I was taught how to overhand serve by my coach, Heather Russell, who had played in high school and college. She taught me the fundamentals of volleyball and nurtured my love for the game. In fourth grade, Heather convinced my parents to allow me to play at the club level. Volleyball soon consumed my life.
I’ve been a fan of the St. Pius volleyball program for as long as I can remember. All three of my older brothers went to Pius and I used to beg them to take me to the games. One player in particular stood out to me – Amie Held, who graduated in 2012 and went on to Northern Iowa University. She was and still is an amazing player who could basically do everything – serve, pass, play defense, block and hit. But what stood out to me most was her composure and leadership on the court.
Amie led St. Pius to its first state championship in volleyball in 2011. I remember driving to Cape Girardeau and watching them win, hoping that one day I would have the chance to play for a state title myself.
Besides that goal, I also wanted to be the best player I could be. I have to thank my family for that. My parents (Shelley and Chuck) and brothers (Alex, Kyle, and Chad) especially pushed me to stay in shape, workout and eat healthy. Their advice to me was, “don’t ever let anyone outwork you.” At some point they all helped train me to become bigger, stronger, and faster because they knew I had set aggressive goals.
Club volleyball has allowed me to further my skills with year-round play against some of the top players in the country. That game experience plus training from my club coaches at the St. Louis CYC Volleyball Club and Rockwood Thunder Volleyball Club has helped my ball control and boosted my knowledge of the game.
Freshman year began my varsity volleyball career alongside my best friends, Shelby Meyer and Elle Russell. We had played together since the third grade and it was always our dream to win state together. Freshman year we almost made that dream a reality, falling just short to Hermann in the Class 2 state championship match.
The following year, St. Pius moved up to Class 3 and finished third. Last year we finished second, falling to Villa Duchesne after beating them during the regular season and at state in round-robin play.
Many people jokingly referred to our team as “always a bridesmaid, never a bride,” but some didn’t realize how difficult it is to win state. It takes so much hard work, dedication, and teamwork, which is what our head coach, Dustin Cutts, expected of us. His goal for us was not just to win state, but to make us better players individually and as a team.
Coach Cutts has been one of the best coaches I’ve had, motivating me and the other players to want to be the best we can be. He pushed us hard in practice and then simply let us play in games, and I believe that’s why we were successful. My junior and senior year, Coach Cutts also strengthened our schedule, having us play some of the top teams in the state and region.
Some of my favorite memories of my St. Pius career were playing in these tough matches against schools like St. James Academy of Kansas and St. Francis High from Illinois. These teams were among the best in the country and we came within two or three points of beating them. I also will remember defeating mighty Lafayette High, also known as the Lancers, in my junior year; Lafayette has won six consecutive state titles in Class 4. This past season, we beat St. Joseph’s Academy, another top Class 4 team.
My senior season was the most unforgettable of all. The team worked hard this summer at the YMCA to prepare for this season. You could just tell that it was our year to win state; there was no other option. Sure, we lost a few matches along the way, but once we hit postseason, we were at our peak.
After winning at district and sectionals, we were headed off to the state final four again. We went 6-0 in round-robin play on the first day, defeating Liberty, Hermann, and St. Paul Lutheran. In the championship match we faced Hermann again. For us seniors, it was a rematch of the state final our freshman year. But this time, we beat the Bearcats 25-11, 25-18.
Winning was a dream come true; all our hard work finally paid off. For me, the win was even more special because I got to share it with my sister, Caly, who is a freshman on the team, and with my best friends, Elle and Shelby.
St. Pius X volleyball will forever be a part of me.
Next year, I will attend Purdue University to further my education and play volleyball. I will step back from hitting and focus on the back court, as I have committed to play as a defensive specialist/libero – the same transition Amie Held made in college. I expect to study pre-physical therapy or pre-occupational therapy.
Volleyball has given me self-confidence and has allowed me to open up and be myself. I believe my teammates and coaches have helped me with this. Throughout my career, I’ve practiced and played alongside many coaches and teammates who have given me so many memories. I have gained not only teammates, but lifelong friends.
The game I love has taught me, through working with players who have different personalities and skill levels, that a true leader has the ability to work with everyone. I’ve learned many lessons from the losses, frustrations, and disappointment competition provides, as well as from victories and personal or team accomplishments.
I’ve also learned to hold myself accountable to my teammates and coaches and how to work with others and be a leader through respect and communication.
Most importantly, volleyball has taught me to set goals, chase my dreams and be grateful for what I have. My parents have sacrificed a lot for me to play volleyball, and I can’t thank them enough.