Athlete of the Issue: Tess Walther

Nicholas ZarchenStaff WriterFrom a young age, Tess Walther has trained hard to pursue volleyball.Walther stands at a mere 5 feet 8 inches, a surprisingly small height for such an accomplished volleyball player. But as a setter on Samo’s varisity volleyball team, Walther’s height is of menial importance compared to her dedication and genuine love of the sport.“I don’t know where I would be without [volleyball],” Walther said.Walther began playing volleyball in fourth grade at John Muir, and debuted as an outside hitter for her club team freshman year. At Samo, Walther continued to play as an outside hitter, and  was promoted to the school’s varsity team as a sophomore — unusually early.  However, when senior year came around and the team needed a setter, Walther took on the challenge.Training hard to succeed at her new position, Walther struggled at first but has become a skilled setter. The result of her dedication can be seen, not only in her accomplishments in gameplay, but  in the bonds she has created with her teammates, both on and off the court.“Tess has always been such a positive person when it came to playing volleyball — she is always fired up and ready to play. She is such a hard worker and I know that whenever she steps onto the court, she’s going to give it her all. I can always rely on her to put a set up there for me to hit and it is a very comforting feeling,” junior outside hitter Sarah Krenik said. “I’ve grown really close to Tess this year and I’m so sad that she will be leaving. The confidence she gives me when I play is priceless and I will miss it very much.”Walther’s has gained great friends and has acquired lifelong skills from playing the game she loves.“Volleyball was why Tess and I became so close. Our love for the sport brought us closer together and volleyball wouldn’t have been the same without her,” senior libero Lindsey Nakatani said.“Tess has been an awesome friend, athlete, team mate and inspiration. She is always striving to accomplish her goals and the goals of the team,” sophomore middle blocker Joslyn Hayes said. “If you look up ‘awesome person’ in the dictionary you will find a picture of her. I love that girl and so many other people do too because of how great she is to everyone on and off the court.”Next year, Walther hopes to play Division III volleyball at Bates College and major in environmental science. She also wants to pursue a career in archaeology and dreams of traveling to New Zealand to uncover remains of dinosaurs.Wherever life takes her, the lessons she has learned from volleyball will surely continue to influence Walther.“Volleyball has taught me a lot. It has taught me leadership skills, teamwork and honesty, and I’ve learned to be a team player and to work with other people,” Walther said.nzarchen@thesamohi.com