After six plus years of playing competitive volleyball, senior Madison Espy has made herself well known on the Steinbrenner varsity volleyball team and in the volleyball community. As the team’s libero she mainly works on the defensive side of game, keeping the ball from scoring a point on Steinbrenner with her every touch. Not only does she excel in indoor volleyball, but she also has about four years of experience training in outdoor beach volleyball. This additional volleyball experience is what makes her go above and beyond to excel in her sport.
Madison’s team and friends refer to her by the nickname “Espy”. Espy’s coach for the past 4 years, Sabrina Shoemaker, had a lot to say about the star player on her Varsity team. “Everybody loves Espy, she lights up the room around her…she’s got great energy” says Shoemaker. This shows that the athlete does not only have incredible talent in her sport, but she also has a personality of being a leader.
Espy has been in the volleyball program at Steinbrenner since she started attending school. In her freshman year she started off playing with the junior varsity team. After a challenging but successful year on the team she tried out for the Varsity team. She started her varsity journey in her sophomore year and has kept her position on that team ever since. When asked how Espy felt when she made call backs for the varsity team this year, she revealed that she felt relieved and grateful since, “nobody knew if their spot was secure”.
Jaslyn Jimenez, a junior also on the varsity volleyball team and friend of Espy states, “She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and has this amazing energy that’s infectious.” when describing her teammate. “She is dependable, we all trust and know that she will chase down the ball with everything she has, and constantly delivers” Jimenez said when talking about Espy’s relationship with the team.
Her strong skill sets as a libero are easily spotted during her performance in volleyball games and practices. “She brings a lot of ball control and skill to our game…she is used to playing at a high level,” said Shoemaker.
Espy’s most memorable moments from this year occurred during the SNU Shark invite. This was the team’s first tournament of the year that happened on August 28, 2021. After the brutal and long tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Steinbrenner’s varsity volleyball team finished with an undefeated streak. “…there was no team we were just easing through. Every game we fought our hardest,” said Espy. The tournament was extremely tiring and lasted from eight in the morning to eight in the afternoon, however Espy’s persistence helped lead the team to victory that week. “Madi played lights out for us,” said Shoemaker.
Espy’s volleyball career does not end at Steinbrenner, however. Once she graduates from Steinbrenner Espy will be headed to college. Espy has a commitment to play beach volleyball at the University of North Florida which is ranked 165 out of 307 schools for its volleyball division. “I have no doubt that she’s going to be successful at the next level. She’s got the right mentality. She works hard and she just loves the game.” said Shoemaker.
Espy is the one to watch in the future. There is no hesitation that she will perform well in her volleyball career and persist in with her team.
Saule Kondra // Staff Writer
