Valley Volleyball: Peterson Starting Over Again
AKRON – It can be incredibly frustrating being a freshman in high school. Life changes, expectations change, fitting in can be a nightmare. Not to mention social pressure and, starting at a new school, having to adjust to a new lifestyle.
Emily Peterson seemed to be handling those aspects of her freshman year at Tippecanoe Valley just fine. Coming down from the boundaries of Warsaw as a middle schooler, Peterson was finding her stride in the southwestern corner of the county. She was playing at a high level with the volleyball team, making friends, and raising eyebrows with her potential.
A torn labrum in her shoulder, which she suffered during warmups of the Rochester matchup on Oct. 5, threw the proverbial stick in her spokes. It was how she adjusted which may just define Peterson and potentially the ride Tippecanoe Valley’s volleyball team takes this season.
Watching Peterson as a freshman, the potential was dripping in her game. A graceful defender, a huge jump serve and little intangibles on the court showed “star” from day one. She did settle into her roles as most freshmen tend to do, and struggled as most players will do. But the injury seemed to have a profound effect on the volleyball squad.
At the time of her injury, Valley was 17-8 overall and 15-5 with her in the lineup. The remainder of the season, the Vikings lost six of their last seven matches including its final three Three Rivers Conference matches to fall from contention to fifth in the standings.
Valley head coach Mallory Eaton noted, “With all of my kids, I want them to know I care. Whether in the sport or outside of it. Her recovery, though, was 99 percent her. I just ended up not making a big deal of it. Now, we know there are limits, but when she said she was ready to go, I took her with me.
“Second week back, she asked to hit. Most kids wouldn’t want to do that.”
Peterson registered a little bit of everything on the stat sheet as a freshman, posting 172 assists, 61 digs, 46 kills and 14 aces as one of the team’s setters. As a sophomore, Peterson will slot in as the primary setter, but Eaton sees her as versatile enough to have the green light if a scoring opportunity presents itself.
Peterson noted her viewpoint from the bench the final month of the season was a beneficial one. Being able to watch had its value, especially for her age. She also had a chance to pick the brain of her sister, Haley, who was a senior starter last season for the Warsaw Community High School volleyball team.
The vantage point in perspective was a life-teaching moment for younger sis.
“I learned a lot about volleyball and patience,” Peterson said. “I know it’s weird to say this, but I am so thankful that I got the injury because I’ve learned so much. Just sitting and watching.”
Peterson is chomping at the bit to begin her sophomore season. Already working well with senior Abby Betten at the net, along with junior Olivia Trippiedi and classmates Sophie Bussard and Shayleigh Shriver, Peterson really likes the mojo of the roster. And being ready to dive into October, for the first time.
“Our team has a great chemistry,” Peterson said. “We are fighters, we never give up. Coach pushes us every single day. We have already improved and the season hasn’t even started yet.”
Tippecanoe Valley opens its season Aug. 16 at Wawasee.