Athlete of the Month - Jackie Barrios
Picture taken by : Alana Fatzinger | Portrait of Jackie Barrios
Jackie Barrios, one of the main outside hitters for the Varsity Volleyball Team, has been selected as Athlete of the Month because of her talent and personality on and off the court. Jackie’s volleyball journey started in 8th grade. At first, she tried it just for fun with a group of her friends at TeWinkle Middle School, but she ended up continuing every year through high school. Jackie didn’t know that this choice would lead to countless memories and lessons that helped shape the person she is today.
During her volleyball season, Jackie was an outside hitter, a position that comes with great responsibility. If you are not familiar with the sport, volleyball is made up of three touches—usually a bump, set, and spike, with hitting normally being the last one. Being a hitter means you have to score the point by hitting the ball inside the court without the opponent touching it. This can determine whether your team wins or loses the point. Another role of an outside hitter is playing defense (passing the ball). The first touch is always the most important because your team depends on it, and you must be reliable. Every time Jackie steps on the court, she is ready for every ball hit her way. As Captain Abby McIntyre (Grade 12) says, “Jackie is a very hard worker on the court and goes for every ball.”
Photo taken by : Calista Ku | Varsity girls Volleyball senior night.
Being a senior on the team was also important to Jackie. She hopes she served as a role model to the younger girls and tried to encourage them to stay positive and push themselves to be the best they can be. Jackie has said that she truly hopes she made an impact on the team. Many of her teammates have described her as kind and welcoming. Stella Shandalove (Grade 9) states, “Especially because I was a freshman on varsity, Jackie was a leader and really helped me feel welcomed on the team.”
One of Jackie’s favorite memories this season was during a CIF game when a ball was shanked off the court, and she saved it, earning another point for her team. Captain Abby McIntyre (Grade 12) adds, “The ball was going to the bleachers, so I ran to get it back, but the ball I sent back to the court wasn’t good. She was still able to get it over the net and we ended up winning the point. It was a really memorable play because we didn’t think it would go over.”
Growing up, Jackie always looked up to her mom as a role model. She admired how her mom was always there for her and the family, and Jackie aspired to be like her. Her mom’s hardworking personality has inspired and motivated Jackie to achieve her own goals. Jackie hopes to attend a four-year college and major in child development to become a children’s therapist. Her second option is to minor in education and become a teacher. This motivation has stayed with her throughout school and sports. As a child, Jackie played multiple sports, mostly soccer, because of her dad. She also tried other activities like swimming, but always found her way back to soccer. When sports finally reopened after COVID during her 8th-grade year, she tried volleyball. She soon realized how much she loved the sport and eventually decided to quit soccer to focus on volleyball
During a game Jackie Barrios hits a ball to the the other side.
Jackie says that maintaining a positive mindset means not letting yourself be defined by your mistakes. Volleyball is a sport filled with thousands of mistakes, so she always tries to help the girls move past that feeling. “Especially myself because I know volleyball is kind of a mental game… it was just kind of hard, so whatever helped me, I tried to spread it to the team—whether it was after a bad play or even after winning a point.” Jackie has also shown her teammates and others that she is a natural-born leader. “Jackie is a very coachable person,” said Heather Fultz (Grade 12). “If she is told one thing, she does that—she fixes it.” Jackie always showed up to practice on time with good energy and a positive attitude. She helped clean up and take down the net every practice. Everyone loved her, from coaches to teammates. Jackie encouraged her team not to focus on the negatives but instead to approach games and practices with positivity.
Jackie is overall a very well-rounded player and person. She inspires not just her teammates but everyone around her. Heather Fultz ( Grade 12 ) says, ¨She made it actually feel like a place where everyone should stay and a place where everyone was welcome.¨