SOMETIMES, TAKING ONE STEP BACK CAN PUSH YOU TWO STEPS FORWARD.
Junior Carly Paugh helped lead the Willis Wildkats to their best season since moving up to Class 6A, reaching a play- in game for the postseason in 2022.
Coach Megan Storms challenged her entering her sophomore season, moving Paugh from her middle position to the outside.
“I grew up playing middle and I was a little surprised how well I was able to transition,” she said. “It was a big change, from my arm swing to playing back row. It made me a better player.”
She was rolling through her sophomore summer before injuring her knee, putting her on the bench as a spectator for much of the club season.
“It really gave me a different perspective,” she said. “I went from playing all the time to doing nothing
at all. It was an eye-opener for me and what I learned was that I was a pretty bad teammate before I was injured. I was all about myself.
“I learned that even if you don’t play, you are still a teammate. You can influence the team with your attitude and your confidence, even when you aren’t playing.”
Now, Paugh is back healthy, mentally and physically. And when she is on, she is on. Paugh is a ball of energy, who uses that to her advantage.
“I want my teammates and coaches to be comfortable with who I am,” she said. “I can’t tuck it away. I’ve learned there is a time and place to be serious. I like to play loose, tell jokes and laugh with my teammates. I usually go 100 miles-an- hour, all the time. I’m getting better at staying focused on the court, especially when it comes time to winning.”
Paugh has a burning competitive side, having learned it at home.
“My parents grew up playing sports and my siblings play soccer at a high level,” she laughed. “Everything is a competition from, who can eat dinner the fastest to who can get online the fastest to find the coolest car. Just weird stuff, but it’s always a fun competition in our family.”
Her volleyball family is equally as competitive as they position for a coveted playoff spot.
“We have a great team bond and hold each other to a high standard, every day,” she said. “We have pushed each other harder than ever and we want these seniors to go out with a great year.”
When not playing volleyball, she loves horror movies, going to Shake Shack and being on any body of water.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” she laughed. “My blood needs to be pumping all the time. I’m always going somewhere to see somebody. I can’t sit still.”