Dewey High School senior Olivia Croucher enters her final volleyball season eager to see what Dewey can accomplish after making program history a year ago. The outside hitter was part of Dewey’s first state-tournament team last season. Although Dewey graduated several seniors, Croucher believes the new group has the potential to continue building on that milestone.
“This season, I’m most excited about our potential. It’s a little bit of a different team since losing several seniors last year, and last year we went to state for the first time in our program’s history. I’m looking forward to seeing how far we go again.”
In her third year of varsity play, Croucher not only leads the team in aces, but in cheers too according to head coach Hayley Harris.
“She is the first teammate to lift someone up or change the momentum on the court. Off the court, Liv maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National Honors Society,” coach Harris said.
For Croucher, the strength of the team starts with its close relationships. She values the culture the players have built both during matches and away from the court.
“I love the culture of our team. We’re all friends on and off the court, which makes me love playing even more since I can do it with the people I love.”
Croucher said that positive energy is especially important. As an outside hitter, she enjoys the chance to contribute offensively while sharing the court with teammates who support each other.
“I’m an outside hitter. I enjoy my team’s positivity the most. We all feed off of each other’s energy, and I love seeing everyone happy when they get to play the sport that they love.”
Her own approach to leadership grew out of a lesson she learned last season. Croucher said focusing on the team has helped her overcome moments of self-doubt and become a more confident player.
“The biggest thing I learned last year was when you pour into your team, it’s impossible to get down on yourself. I used to always struggle with confidence, but now I know that when I focus on being the most positive person on the court, there is no room for personal negativity to creep in.”
Croucher also credits her coach for providing belief and encouragement.
“My coach inspires me. She always believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. She sees our talent and strives to make us the best we can possibly be, which inspires me to do my best.”
A former teammate, Keilan Ruble, also made a lasting impact when Croucher joined the varsity team as a freshman. Now, Croucher carries that example into her senior season while working to help Dewey pursue another postseason run.
“My biggest strength on the court is my serving and hitting. I’m working on improving my defense so that when I play back row, I can keep serving.”
