Jumping higher, blocking better, diving further, and hitting harder has allowed two freshmen to play varsity volleyball this season.

Freshman Katherine Crosley made varsity volleyball. Freshman Zeta Jenkins played varsity volleyball for part of the season when she was moved up. Both girls have proven they can handle the challenge of playing on the highest level.

“In my 19 years of  coaching high school volleyball, putting Katherine varsity was the fourth time it’s ever happened,” volleyball coach Miguel Saenz said. “Usually freshmen may be able to physically contribute, but they’re either not experienced enough or they’re not mature enough. In Katherine’s case, she was both.”

After tryouts, Crosley was confident in her ability to be considered for the varsity team.

“I felt like I may have had a chance to make the varsity team because I knew the coach would want to begin developing the program for the future,” Crosley said. “I knew that the coach wanted to have an underclassmen that had experience playing at the varsity level so there would still be depth on the team once the older girls graduated.”

Jenkins initially made the freshman A team, but for a few games this year was moved up to varsity.

“My experience is different from other freshman because I started on the freshman A team and got moved up to play varsity,” Jenkins said. “I feel like being on varsity affects my development by introducing me to different skills that I would not have learned on other teams.”

At tryouts and throughout the season, the girls’ physicality set them apart from the other freshmen players.

“Their physicality impressed me the most,” Saenz said. “How explosive, how well they jump, and how quick they are is what impressed me the most.”

This season, both freshmen have both realized the differences  between high school, club and middle school volleyball.

“It has been very different than middle school team it is way more intense and competitive,” Crosley said. “Bowie volleyball is different from my club team because on my club team, there are only people my age, but in school the age gap is pretty significant from freshmen to seniors.”

Both girls have been playing volleyball for their school and club teams for several years.

“I’ve been playing volleyball for three years now,” Jenkins said. “I’ve always been a middle blocker, and I played at Gorzycki Middle School for two years.”

Unlike Jenkins, Crosley has shown her versatility by playing multiple positions throughout her time playing the game.

“When I first started playing, I was a right side hitter because I was left handed and being a lefty setter is a huge advantage in the front row,” Crosley said. “I changed from right side hitter to setter, and least year was my first season being a full-time setter. Now I set in the back row rotations and hit in the front row rotations.”

Both girls have added their physicality and knowledge of the game to the varsity team. They have been helpful for the team through the season according to teammates.

“Katherine is a really good all around player, and Zeta stepped up in a time of need,” sophomore volleyball player Evelyn Batista said. “They are both team players, which is definitely helpful to the team dynamic.”

On and off the court, Jenkins and Crosley get along with their older teammates very well.

“Katherine and I have become good friends this season, she’s so funny and I love her,” Batista said. “For the time that Zeta played with us, she has been super sweet, and she did great.”

Crosley may be one of the few freshmen to ever be a starter on varsity, but she has stayed humble and earned her place on the team.

“A lot of people her age who get the status of being on varsity and being a starter would let it get to their head, but she’s not like that at all,” Saenz said. “She’s been a humble, coachable player, and I think that the other girls can see that in her and respect her. ”

Crosley feels being on varsity will improve her skills and confidence as a player. She believes that being on varsity will not only improve her but the entire team for years to come.

“I think being on varsity will affect my development by being able to better understand the game and play volleyball at a higher level,” Crosley said. “It will benefit me because as I get older and begin to understand the game better, I can become a leader on the team.”

Both players said they were grateful that the coaches gave them the opportunity to play for varsity, for it was a goal and aspiration of both of theirs.

“The Bowie volleyball program is absolutely so much fun because the coaches are so fun and the older players have welcomed me and the other young players so open heartedly,” Jenkins said. “It has already made a big impact on my life, and I can’t wait to continue as I become an upperclassmen and see what it has to offer in the future.”