With volleyball season right around the corner, one local player is chomping at the bit to get back on the court following a difficult 2013-2014 campaign.
Flower Mound High School middle hitter Elizabeth Boyd missed a portion of last season thanks to a stress fracture in her leg, and after watching her team go three rounds in the playoffs, the Jaguar senior is anxious to see what her team can accomplish this year.
“She’s been a continuous leader for us, but last year she didn’t play too much,” coach Marci Brinkman said. “She’s been doing what she can as far as weights and has been playing a little more in the club season. She played a little bit at nationals, and she’s back and strong, and ready to go for her senior year. She really wants to make this year one of the best ones.”
Brinkman said that Boyd has worked on exactly the areas she needs to this offseason to be ready for volleyball in the fall and said that she contributes a lot to the team.
“Elizabeth is a great volleyball player,” Brinkman said. “We have a big senior class, but Elizabeth is definitely the one with the most experience on varsity, and we want her to be that spark on the court—the go-to hitter, for sure.
“She’ll be playing middle and on the right side this season, so I expect her to be that leader on the court that gets the team pumped up with the kills and the blocks and being disciplined.”
Boyd said that her rehab has gone well and said that she has worked very hard to get back on the court.
“It’s been pretty good,” Boyd said. “Last season, I had a stress fracture in my left shin, and I did not get to play the end of my season. After school ended, I started rehab on it, and I got to play in Nationals this year. As of right now, I am training to come back to play middle for Flower Mound this season.”
Boyd said she sees her role on the team very much the same way as her coach.
“I try to bring leadership to the court and be a go-to player,” Boyd said. “I always try to help my team win the big play.”
Boyd said her team played really well last season and said that she is excited to see what this season holds, especially, now that her leg is better.
“I am doing very well,” Boyd said. “I have worked hard this season to get stronger physically and mentally, and to get prepared for college ball. My goals are for us to go to state. That is our ultimate goal as a team. For me individually, my goal is to return to my team and be a big leader on the court and help to lead my team to state.”
This isn’t the first time Boyd has been sidelined. In August 2012 she underwent a successful surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Two years prior to that, Boyd had abdominal surgery after being diagnosed with intestinal malrotation.
Boyd said she has not decided yet on where she is going to college, but definitely plans to play at the college level, and said for Flower Mound to repeat on the success the team enjoyed last year, it will take a couple of things.
“We are going to have to have hard work,” Boyd said. “We are not going to be able to take days off or plays off. We’ve been working hard, and we really have to come back together as a team. Coach Brinkman is a really good coach, and with her coaching and our playing ability, I think we’ll be able to go really far this year.”
Boyd’s Favorites
Favorite Athlete: Kerry Walsh
Favorite Sports Team: Texas Rangers
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Movie: The Blind Side
Favorite TV Show: Pretty Little Liars
Last Book Read: The Scarlett Letter
Favorite Musical Group or Performer: Luke Bryan
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