Andover Central’s Emmy Kaberline is looking forward to playing alongside the Jaguars’’ six seniors, who she said have helped push her to become a better player.
“Our team is blessed with six amazing senior girls who are awesome on and off the court,” Kaberline said. “They push me to be better every day and I love to spend time with them.”
Andover Central will have plenty of opportunities to grow together this season, including road trips to face tough competition.
“Many of our games are pretty far away, but it will allow us to play some tough competition and grow through adversity, which is something that will help us in the future,” Kaberline said.
Kaberline spent the offseason working toward a specific goal. After her sophomore season, she set out to increase her vertical by 4 inches and reach a 10-foot approach touch by the end of the school year.
She put in extra work at the school weight room, a garage gym and the YMCA, focusing not only on her vertical but also on becoming stronger, quicker and more mobile.
“I am a firm believer that you don’t need fancy equipment or personal trainers to reach your goals, just a solid plan, people who support you and a strong work ethic,” Kaberline said.
With help from her high school weights coach and her mother, Kaberline reached the goal she had set.
“I hit the 10′ approach touch goal I set for myself,” she said.
Kaberline continued her preparation during the summer with her club team, competing in a preseason national tournament and AAU Nationals. Her club team finished tied for fifth in the Premier division at AAU Nationals.
She and her parents also spent much of June and July traveling throughout the Midwest for eight to 10 college visits and camps.
“It was a lot of fun and I made so many memories,” Kaberline said. “I got to meet some great people and play against some incredible competition.”
While Kaberline has established herself as a strong front-row player, she has identified serve receive as an area where she wants to make significant progress.
“This year I am working hard to improve my serve receive to be a better all-around player,” she said. “While I do well in the front row, passing has always been a struggle for me.”
Kaberline spent additional time working on her passing during the offseason, including practicing in her driveway when she did not have access to a gym. When she did have gym access, she made a point of arriving early or staying late to get extra repetitions.
She has also placed an increased emphasis on the mental side of the game, working on her focus before practices, games and individual drills.
“I saw this starting to positively affect my playing and I’m continuing this practice,” Kaberline said.
Kaberline enters the season with two primary individual goals: reaching 1,000 career kills and becoming a strong leader for her teammates.
“Not only is the goal of reaching 1,000 kills important to me, it means I’m scoring for my team and giving us a better chance of winning,” Kaberline said.
Although she is not yet a senior, Kaberline wants to take on a leadership role and help her teammates navigate the challenges of a long season.
“I want to guide and lead others through individual and team struggles,” she said.
For Andover Central, the ultimate goal is clear. The Jaguars have reached the sub-state finals each of the past two seasons, and Kaberline believes this year’s team has the talent to take the next step.
“All of my teammates are focused on one thing: making it to state,” Kaberline said. “I know that we have every ability to achieve this goal — we just need to really start focusing now.”
Kaberline believes the Jaguars’’ combination of talent and personality gives them an opportunity to make a deep postseason run.
“This year we have so much talent and personality that I know it is possible, as long as we all come together, make sacrifices and stay focused,” she said.
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