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Titles have never driven Ariana O'Connor. What matters to the Lewis Palmer senior is answering whatever her team happens to need on a given day.
That mindset is how she went from filling a gap in the lineup to becoming one of the most adaptable players on the floor — and the only captain for a Rangers squad carrying championship hopes.
Across her high school years, O'Connor has shown she can swing a volleyball match from nearly any spot on the court. For her, though, that adaptability runs deeper than stats. It's the foundation of how she leads.
"Definitely team before me and whatever the team needs. I had to step into the position that the team needed me to be and so that's kind of my motto. Just whatever the team needs and doing what the coaches think is best," O'Connor said.
Bouncing between roles has kept her valuable in nearly every moment of a match.
"If I'm having a bad passing day then I can make it up hitting and if I'm having a bad hitting day then I can do good in the back row," O'Connor said.
These days she handles all six rotations, pairing a defender's reflexes with the punch to put away points at the net. To head coach Don Lash, her value stretches far past raw talent.
"Part of it is her work ethic. She comes to practice prepared every day, but a big part of it is how she treats her teammates. She brings the energy to our team. She's just the kind of kid that you want out there because she relates to everybody. All the girls like her," Lash said.
Her teammates made that clear at the ballot box. The Rangers weigh seven qualifications when choosing a captain, and Lash said O'Connor topped the vote by such a wide margin that she’d be named the lone captain. For her, leading means keeping the mood loose while never losing sight of the goal.
"We've really tried to build a culture at LP where we can you know like have so much energy and have fun and smile and things but we also need to focus and like hold each other accountable and make each other better," O'Connor said.
That balance has carried Lewis Palmer to the No. 1 seed in the 4A playoff bracket.
"It would mean so much to me and it would just be like such a rewarding experience and with all the hard work that we've put over the season, we've improved so much since the beginning and it would just be so rewarding and I would be so grateful. It'd be crazy to win a state championship," O'Connor said.
The volleyball court tells only part of her story. O'Connor also plays basketball, frequently heading straight from one practice to the next. She says juggling both demands sharp time management — but a packed schedule is exactly what she prefers.
The pace isn't letting up anytime soon. O'Connor has committed to continue her volleyball career next year at Black Hills State in South Dakota.
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