The match ends, and everyone else is starting to exhale, but Morgan Township’s Sierra Ricke is having difficulty breathing.
A few minutes later, Ricke is seated in a chair encircled by friends, family and teammates who are fanning her in an effort to cool her down.
This is just one example of what life can be like for an athlete who has asthma, like Ricke.
“I just couldn’t catch my breath,” she said. “My back was cramping, and I was just so overwhelmed. I was trying to control my breathing, but it just took a lot longer than usual.”
That was a rare moment without motion for Ricke, an energetic sophomore who has cemented her role as the setter for Morgan Township, which is ranked No. 5 in Class 1A by Indiana Prep Volleyball.
The occasion didn’t help. Ricke’s adrenaline was pumping after the Cherokees won 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8 against Kouts at home during the opening round of the Porter County Conference Tournament on Monday. It was the type of match that featured tightly contested points.
“If there’s a rally that goes on for a minute, I’ll get so into it that I’ll forget to breathe half of the time,” Ricke said with a laugh. “So after all of that, I’m just so exhausted.”
Ricke has had plenty of exhaustive matches this season. She entered the week leading the Cherokees (20-5) with 477 assists and 77 aces after posting team highs of 857 assists and 82 aces as a freshman. Those numbers are the result of Ricke’s relentless pursuit of points, according to Morgan Township coach Caitlin Alwine.
“My favorite part of her and this team as a whole is that they’re not ever going to stop going after a ball,” Alwine said. “Sierra has this mentality that every ball is hers, and it’s infectious to the people around her. You want your setter to set the tone for what’s happening on the court.”
Alwine raved about Ricke’s physical abilities but was even more effusive while praising her intangible contributions.
“Her energy and her attitude are vital to our success,” Alwine said. “Despite whatever is happening on the court, she’s always showing up and putting in the work. Her attitude and effort are always there. Those are the kinds of kids you want to coach.”
Ricke also meshes well with upperclassmen like senior outside hitter Macy Grieger, who entered this week with 111 kills, most of which were set up by Ricke.
“There’s a lot of pressure on her as the setter, especially when she was starting early on as a freshman,” Grieger said. “She’s competitive, she’s passionate, she has so much drive in her and she really wants what’s best for the team and for herself.”
Ricke was quick to credit teammates like Grieger for helping her navigate her first two seasons.
“My team’s really helped me with that,” Ricke said. “I’ve had amazing passers all around me, and then my hitters have really helped me out. They’ve all been so amazing to me.”
Ricke said she would like to play in college but knows her 5-foot-4 frame is not the ideal height for a college-level setter. But she said she has already worked on other parts of her game to ensure she finds a role that will keep her on the court beyond high school.
“I’m going to work more on defense and passing more,” Ricke said. “I’ll try to be the best defender, the best setter, the best server — just whatever I can do for my team.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.