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| SportsTuesday, October 23, 2007 11:26 PM CDT |
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BHS' Beyer boots bad attitude on way to Georgia Tech scholarship
BLOOMINGTON — When it comes to volleyball, Ashley Beyer has it all — mostly because of what she left behind. “I used to have an attitude problem,” admitted the blunt Bloomington High School senior outside hitter, “but I had to get rid of that for college reasons, for coach reasons, playing (reasons)…” The 5-foot-11 Georgia Tech recruit’s main problem was failing to cut herself some slack when she made a mistake. “When she started off, she would make an error and she would be really upset for the rest of the game,” remembers her best friend and setter since seventh grade, Kristin Stauter. “Now she just gets over it. She’s a lot more positive on the court.” That positive attitude has translated into 4.8 kills per game, which ranks Beyer second in the Pantagraph area. She leads the team in digs (2.9) and ranks second in school history for career digs and kills. Beyer likely will break the digs record if the 30-4 Purple Raiders enjoy a productive postseason, which begins with regional action this week. Class 1A and 2A teams open tonight while 3A and 4A teams open Wednesday. Top-seeded BHS begins play in the Normal West 3A Regional at 3 p.m. Saturday against the winner of Wednesday’s 6 p.m. Normal West-Rantoul tilt. The regional final is at 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Fans should expect to see Beyer having fun. “I’m fun on the court, fun off the court. I’m just a crazy person in general,” she said. BHS coach Joe Sanders wouldn’t have it any other way. “That’s part of what makes her real valuable to our team,” he said. “She’s always having fun and that affects everybody else.” Sanders has gotten to know Beyer well in her four years on the varsity and her years with the Illini Elite Volleyball Club going all the way back to when she was in second grade. “People who don’t know Ashley would think that she thinks she’s better than everybody else and has a high and mighty attitude,” he said. “She just doesn’t.” Beyer, whom PrepVolleyball.com ranks as the 70th best senior in the nation, claims she used to have a big head. It didn’t last. How could it on a team loaded with future Division I college players including the Illinois State-bound Stauter, 6-2 Kasey Heckelman, 5-11 AAU all-American Lauren Seyller and digging wiz Allison Kirk? “We got better through the years,” Beyer said. “I wasn’t the only one to contribute. Talent wise, we’re amazing.” Beyer’s vertical jump is likewise as she can touch 10 feet high. PrepVolleyball.com said she has “one of the nation’s fastest approaches” and “usually is at the net and high in the air before the other team’s defense can get set.” Such ability is no accident. “She has worked her butt off these last two or three years to get where she is,” Stauter said. “I think a lot of people admire that of her because it’s not like she’s lazy and good, it’s like she works really hard and she’s good.” Beyer has been working with a trainer for years. “She’s real motivated about staying in shape and getting stronger,” Sanders said. “An elite athlete has to have that kind of work ethic and she does.” Beyer also has the BHS career assist record holder helping her. Sanders believes Beyer’s talent would show with any setter, but Stauter’s presence “sure helps a lot.” Without her, Beyer wouldn’t have it all. Get area high school sports scores and statistics at Varsity Sports. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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