Kayleigh Carpenter, a senior at South Salem High School, committed to Boise State early this year. Carpenter expresses the sacrifices any athlete has to be prepared to make.
“You have to love it.” said Carpenter.
After playing volleyball for years Carpenter understands the determination and grit any athlete who aspires to play at a higher level has to show. NCAA statistics show only 1.2% of all high school volleyball players later compete in Division I volleyball. Kayleigh is a part of that percentage and will go on to represent South at Boise State next year.
Carpenter started playing volleyball at the Boys and Girls club, a non profit organization, in the fifth grade. The dream to play volleyball came from her older cousin who she aspired to be like, her cousin still supports her in all of her endeavors to this day. She now competes in school and club volleyball. She has been on South’s varsity team since her freshman year and has been a part of multiple teams that have competed at the state high school tournament. She also plays for North Pacific Juniors volleyball club, and is currently on NPJ’s 18 Forefront team who goes on to represent the club at Nationals.
Carpenter reached out to Boise State her sophomore year with an email which had a schedule to a tournament she was playing at in Kansas City. The Boise coaches showed up to the tournament and watched her play. NCAA’s college recruitment rules prevented Boise State from contacting her due to her age. During the waiting period, Boise kept contact through Kayleigh’s club head director, Adam Ellis. The coaches later attended one of Carpenter’s team practices. Once the waiting period was over, Boise State contacted Carpenter directly expressing interest in her joining their program.
“Every single day I just get more excited.” Carpenter said.
There are many different aspects of playing Division I volleyball and Kayleigh is excited for all of them. The family feeling of being on the team and the social aspect, knowing she isn’t, “being left alone in the dark.” The coaches have asked Kayleigh to change positions. Although nervous, Carpenter plans to take this transition from outside hitter to libero smoothly.
Carpenter thanks her family, club volleyball coach, and her school volleyball coach, Matt Leighty, for her success. She thanks her parents most of all for being her “number one supporters.”
Club coach, Adam Ellis, says a valuable player is the one with the ability to move on from a mistake.
Kayleigh believes the same thing, she said, “some may get discouraged and give up but the harder you work, it eventually will pay off.”
Ellis describes Kayleigh as one of those players. Although he has enjoyed having her on his teams he is excited to ”see her dreams come true.” Watch Kayleigh’s dreams come true next year as she proceeds to compete at the Division I level.
