Senior Ryli Fulkerson has officially signed with Frontier Community College for volleyball. Frontier is located in Fairfield, Illinois, and is home to the Bobcats.

Fulkerson has been playing this sport for seven years now and is ready to take it past high school

“I have been playing volleyballI have wanted to play volleyball in college ever since middle school,” Fulkerson said.  

Outside of playing for HHS, Fulkerson has played for two different club teams and this has helped her grow as an individual player and grow her competitiveness.

“I have played for two different club teams,” Fulkerson said.” In my eighth, ninth, and tenth-grade years, I played for the Southern Illinois Volleyball Academy (SIVBA). In my eleventh-grade year, now I am playing for Southern Illinois Wave (SI Wave) out of Nashville, Illinois. There are so many reasons for how this helped me but I think the most important one is getting to play more competitive games and push myself to be a better player.

Fulkerson’s teammates see her hard work and who she is as a teammate and they appreciate her not only as a player and friend.

“Ryli is an all-around good player and (is) always pushing us to do our best, she has always been a great teammate and friend to all of us,” junior teammate Brystil Taber said.

Fulkerson has a twin sister and going to college without her will be a big adjustment for her.

“My biggest adjustment is going to be leaving my twin sister,” Fulkerson said. “We have been with each other for 17 years and have never been away from one another. It’s going to be hard not being with her every day.”

Her teammates believe in her and know that she will be successful at college. They understand that it will be a big change, but they know that she has the drive and skill to make it.

“I think college can be an adjustment for everyone, but I also know she will be just fine. She has the mindset and skill that everyone should strive to have,” sophomore teammate Ava Wilson said.

According to Fulkerson, there are several things she is going to miss when going to college. She will miss the relationships and bonds that she has made with friends, coaches, and teammates.

“I am going to miss all of the friendships I have made and all of the coaches I’ve had,” Fulkerson said. Fulkerson will be just as missed by her friends and teammates. “I will miss her a lot, she was a great captain and always knew how to get me out of my head and pushed me to be a better player and person,” Wilson said.

     After playing this sport for so long it has taught her more than just volleyball skills but also many life and valuable lessons. 

Volleyball has taught me how to prioritize time, stay organized, and how to communicate with others,” Fulkerson said.