For sisters Logan and Kirby Smith, volleyball is more than just a game; it’s a sport that unites them on and off the court.
Logan, a senior, and Kirby, a sophomore, both start for the varsity volleyball team at John T. Hoggard High School. The Smith sisters began playing for Hoggard during fall 2014, after moving from Richmond, Virginia.
Logan said practicing at home on the north end of Wrightsville Beach has helped her improve.
“We play all the time with each other,” she said. “Since we live on the beach, we just play there.”
Kirby agreed having a sister as a teammate has helped each one to perfect her game, while also improving their court communication skills.
“We love discussing the plays we’re going to do,” she said. “We definitely connect on the court when we play.”
The sisters are both hitters, front row players. Logan plays setter, a position that requires her to pass the ball to a hitter, one of whom is Kirby, to prepare her to hit the ball on the opposing team’s court. Each position relies on the other to succeed.
The Smith sisters dedicate more than 10 hours a week to volleyball while also staying committed to other extracurricular activities. Logan was selected by the team’s coach, Ron Strickland, and the rest of the players to be team captain. She is a member of Hoggard’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, Beta Club and National Honor Society; her involvement in these groups requires her to log 20 volunteer hours for three different local charities. This year, Logan volunteered at the Cape Fear Young Women’s Christian Association and for Surfer’s Healing, an organization that helps people with autism by teaching them how to surf.
Kirby is also involved with Hoggard’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chapter, along with the school’s Spanish club. When she isn’t hitting balls on the court, she’s catching waves at Wrightsville Beach. The teenager is sponsored by Aussie Island Surf Shop.
This fall, Kirby has cut back her time in the ocean to spend more time and focus in the court, as she hopes to earn a scholarship to play college volleyball.
“I don’t get home until dark every day, and on the weekends I’m usually playing,” she said. “I’ve looked at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest and N.C. State, but I’m keeping my options open.”
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