Tippecanoe Valley senior Caylie Teel can do it all on the volleyball court.

AKRON – Caylie Teel is a coaches’ dream.

Athletic. Fast. Selfless. Driven.

The Tippecanoe Valley star is a nightmare for opponents though once she sets foot on the volleyball court.

Teel heads into her senior season as one of the elite players in the area and a key component for the Vikings this fall. The high-flying 5-7 standout is a highlight waiting to happen at any position on the floor.

“You know when Caylie is on the court,” said Valley coach Mallory Eaton. “She’s a dream girl with her athleticism, speed and jumping ability.

“The great thing about Caylie is that she is the type of kid that other players want to be teammates with. She is always looking to improve and she just craves getting better.”

Teel, who is receiving some Division I interest from colleges, loves the challenge of excelling in the front row despite her height or lack of it.

“I take being 5-7 as a challenge,” said Teel. “Volleyball for me is all about the challenge. I’ve had to work at it. I just love the rush of the game.

“I think about being six-foot all the time. But, it’s a proud moment and a big thrill for me when I go up and get a big kill at the net at my size. I’ve always been able to jump well and that’s something I’ve worked hard on the last few years.”

Teel overcomes her smallish stature with a vertical leap that has increased from 24 inches as a freshman to a whopping 31 now. She also possesses the ability to do-it-all on the court at a very high level.

“Coach Eaton has really pushed me here and playing for the Dunes volleyball club this past offseason really helped me a lot,”  Teel said. “I love to play outside, but I also love to pass the ball. Passing has grown on me.

“I just want to do whatever I can to be the best player that I can be. I think it really helps me that I can play any position on the court.”

Teel is also a role model to the younger players in a program that second-year head coach Eaton is building.

“We were doing a drill in a recent practice and one of our eighth grade players who were working with us just couldn’t get it and Caylie went right over there and helped her,” related Eaton. “That’s just the type of kid she is.”

Teel does come from some great bloodlines. Her mother, the former Lorene Spearman, was a star track runner at Wawasee High School. Spearman won multiple state championships in track for the Warriors in the late 1970’s.

“My Mom has never put any pressure on me and has always supported me no matter what,” said Teel. “I love bragging on my Mom.”

Teel, who also plays basketball and competed in track until this past spring, will be a big force for a young Valley team this fall. The Vikings went 18-10 last year, but graduated five seniors. Anne Secrest, a 6-0 player who had a strong freshman season in 2013, also chose not to play this year to focus on basketball.

“This team has a lot of potential,” said Teel. “I just don’t think they realize it yet. We can do some great things this season.

“The thing is that it takes six players on the court to be successful. One player can not win the match. I just want to be a rock for this team, show leadership and have a great senior season.”

Spoken like a true coaches’ dream.