For senior Karly Thompson, a hobby of volleyball didn’t come from the traditional source, a passion for the game.

“My mom wanted to coach Heisey volleyball,” said Thompson, who began playing the sport in fifth grade at the Heisey level before transitioning to middle school, club, and high school volleyball.

Thompson, a right side hitter, plays on the Lady Rustler varsity volleyball team under new coach Stephanie Anderson. The senior said of Anderson, “She brought a new attitude to our program and the will to play.”

Despite having a rough go of the past few seasons, the Lady Rustlers are still trying to improve. Thompson said her goal for her team this season is to “compete every game to win and finish our games.” To accomplish this goal, Thompson said she hopes to improve the team’s defense by improving her digging, as well as being more aggressive and talking more on the court.

Thompson said she also enjoys playing tennis, and her favorite part of volleyball is blocking. According to Thompson, volleyball “keeps me busy and also works on my character.”