When Coppell High School junior Molly Williams was 9, she decided to sign up for YMCA volleyball with her friends. Little did she know, her name would be on the Coppell volleyball roster.
Williams, one of the captains for Coppell, has not only done an exceptional job on the court but taken a step forward as a leader.
“When I get a kill, Molly is the first person to give me hugs and high fives. It makes the game a lot more fun,” sophomore outside hitter Brooke Felix said. “She has done a great job in filling the seniors’ graduates spots, and she makes everyone feel seen on the court. We’re lucky to have her as a captain.”
Wiliams strives to be the best athlete, teammate and, most importantly, a good person. Taking on a new role, she looks up to her role models for motivation. Her role models were last year’s captains defensive specialist Kate McDonald and outside hitter Mira Kelm.
Skills Williams learned about her past leaders have greatly impacted current leadership.
“They led our team really well last year, and I want to continue it,” Williams said.
“McDonald was so helpful, she has definitely been somebody that I’ve looked up to and has been so helpful that’s who I want to be for others” Williams expressed.
McDonald impacted Williams as her leadership techniques changed after last season.
“She kind of took me under her wing and whenever I was nervous being around them she was always sweet to me,” Williams said. “I gave her 20 nervous high fives before every game started because I was so anxious and didn’t know what to do and she just kept giving them to me and kept encouraging me.”
This year, Williams flipped the switch, turning her nervous high fives into high fives uplifting teammates. Her energy and positivity on the court has quickly become one of the reasons she has been able to lead her teammates.
“She always hustles for every ball and is very encouraging when you make a mistake,” sophomore middle blocker Finley Penniman said. “Playing with her is amazing. Her confidence in herself and her team make the atmosphere better during games.”
Williams builds strong relationships with her teammates to better lead her team.
“Encouraging your teammates and making sure they know that they are doing the best they can do is extremely important,” Williams said. “One thing that helped me is that I have a lot of talks with them outside because they’re also my best friends.”
Alongside pushing her teammates to perform the best, Williams pushes herself to perform the best as well. She has faced injuries throughout her volleyball journey. Recently due to a hip tear, Williams has been persistent and continues to give it her all each match.
“Thanking God for the ability and the opportunity to be on the court is something I do before and after every game,” Williams said. “Knowing that every time I step on the court, it could be my last time.”
William’s journey has been impacted by her teammates and role models around her. As the Cowgirls enter the playoffs, Williams’ unwavering support continues to shine.
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