David Mundy
Alivia Freeman and Kaylin Greene were classmates at Enterprise High School and best friends as members of the school's volleyball team.
Now, the two have signed with different junior college programs and compete several times a year. Freeman, a middle blocker, signed with local Enterprise State Community College, while Green, a middle blocker who also plays outdoors, signed with Lurleen B. Wallace of Andalusia, just 69 miles away.
The two parties held a signing ceremony Thursday in the lobby area of the Enterprise High Performance Arts Center.
“Alivia is like my best friend,” Green said. “The fact that we're rivals makes it even more interesting. It's fun. We'll probably laugh at each other.”
Freeman joked that it was “very competitive” and that the winner would have a friendly “bragging rights” after the game.
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The two played key roles at Enterprise High School this fall, helping the Wildcats go 40-10 and advance to the Class 7A state semifinals for the second straight year.
Freeman, 6 feet 2 inches tall with long arms, was one of the top blockers in Wiregrass high school volleyball last season, posting 114 blocks in 48 games and averaging 2.4 blocks per game. She also had 328 kills and averaged 6.8 kills per contest.her work brought her profit dothan eagle Super 12 honorable mention winner.
“Alvia is one of the game-changers for our offense,” Enterprise State head coach Vanessa Howell said. She said, “She's over 10 feet tall, which is high for a JUCO player in Alabama.'' It should make it even better.
“She does both equally well. Her blocking ability is insane, but her hitting is getting there.”
Freeman was excited to sign with his hometown team, the Boll Weevils.
“Originally, I wanted to finish my college career, but I liked the friendliness and environment[at ESCC]so much that I had to stay,” Freeman said, adding that she was “relieved” to be at college. He added that he was happy. Let's take the “next step in life”.
She also mentioned Howell as a major reason for joining the ESCC program.
When asked why she signed with Enterprise State, Freeman said, “Coach Vanessa.” “She's one of the best coaches I've ever had. She's very friendly.”
Enterprise High head coach Jen Graham said the Wildcats didn't have anyone who could hit around Freeman in the middle of the defense last season, and the future is only bright for the Ball Weevil signee. He said he felt it.
“She was a team player because she had a desire to help her teammates,” Graham said. “She loves the weight room. She's strong as a bull. If they continue to strengthen her, her jumping ability will continue to improve and she'll be unstoppable here. She His blocking and reach are great, and his ability to attack in a variety of positions is strong.”
Meanwhile, Green was really happy to have the opportunity to play college volleyball after breaking her tibia in February of this year.
“Honestly, it feels very surreal (signing),” Green said. “When I got injured, I thought I would never be able to play volleyball again.”
She credited the support of her family, friends and LBW head coach Janie Wiggins for helping her get back into a positive mindset.
“When I got injured, I thought, 'I'm just going to give up.' Volleyball just wasn't for me anymore,” Green admitted. “The people around me pushed me and kept me going. I started wanting to go back to how I was before.”
Although Green is only 5 feet 6 inches tall, he uses his natural ability to make things difficult for opposing teams in the midfield.
“Her vertical (jump) is high and fast,” Wiggins said. “She can jump and she's very agile.”
Wiggins felt Green would be able to fit into the team not only on the court, but also off it.
“Kaylin is a very energetic, very positive player,” Wiggins said. “When she came for her visit and practiced with the team, she hit it off with them right away. Her energy will be beneficial to our program.”
Wiggins suggested Green is likely to play in the middle at LBW, but is versatile enough to also play on the outside.
Graham called Green a “spark plug” who has provided tremendous vocal leadership to the Wildcat program.
“She’s passionate about the game and very supportive and vocal of her teammates,” Graham says.
The Wildcat head coach said there were initial doubts about Green's ability after breaking his foot in the offseason, but the senior was able to put those concerns behind him and share playing time at the outside right position. .
“We didn't know if she was going to be able to contribute, but she played until the end,” Graham said. “She got through our conditioning and summer training and was ready (for the season).”
Green said he was impressed with LBW and Wiggins.
“Their atmosphere is very welcoming and friendly,” Green said. “Every girl I met really wanted me to be in the program. Coach Wiggins is a lovely person. Her coaching makes me feel appreciated. ”
