Throughout junior year, while diligent scholars work for each perfect score and spirited athletes strive for each trophy, junior Marlena Coveney balances her role as star JV Volleyball player with her role as a dedicated student.

An avid volleyball player since the summer before her high school career began, Coveney’s love of the sport began with casual games on the beach with her dad and brother. She still prefers beach to indoor, saying, “I wish our school had a beach team, but we live far from the beach.”  

One of the fastest-growing sports at Classical, the relatively new Girls JV Volleyball team has seen incredible success. Proud of her team’s achievements, Coveney notes, “We won CIF a couple years ago, and we keep moving up. We didn’t win CIF this year, but we still moved up a division.”

As a junior on the team, Coveney’s warm personality and athletic talent make her a natural leader for younger teammates. She says, that, last season, “I was able to include everybody… because I knew a lot of the kids there. … I just tried to get lots of people involved and make all the new people feel welcome.” She is appreciative of the kindness that has been reciprocated, saying, “I feel like I have [made a lot of friends through volleyball]. It’s been nice being on [the team] for three years because I got to know a lot of people when I came into high school.”

The Girls JV Volleyball team has seen impressive success in recent years due to the committed team members and the intense practices. Coveney, an outside hitter, says, “During season, we practice everyday [for] … ten to twelve hours a week.” When asked how she stays on top of her academics with such a tight schedule, she says, “It’s pretty tough. I just don’t waste any time. As soon as I get home, I start on my homework.” Luckily, Coveney plays with the same intensity with which she studies. “I’m pretty aggressive. I always do my best to win, but it’s okay if we lose.”
When asked if she will play the sport in college, Coveney says, “Probably not. Right now, I just play for fun, not really super competitively.” Having gained the skill set of a student-athlete, Coveney will certainly excel in whatever she pursues next.