Stevenson senior outside hitter Ava Wysocki had to learn to be louder this past season.
Wysocki’s game was already loud enough, literally and figuratively, as the 6-footer spiked the ball to the floor and drew recruiters to one of the top players in the state. But the Patriots needed her to lead.
“It was hard for me to be more demonstrative and louder on the court because I don’t like coming across as bossy,” Wysocki said. “I worried that being too vocal might make my teammates feel pressured.
“But I realized that as a leader, being clear and confident with my voice was essential for communication and keeping the team focused. Over time, I found a balance between being assertive and supportive, and it became easier to speak up without feeling like I was overstepping.”
Wysocki, the 2024 News-Sun Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, stepped forward to lead inexperienced Stevenson (22-16, 6-1) to a share of the North Suburban Conference title and a Class 4A regional title. The Illinois recruit finished with 357 kills, 81 blocks, 97 digs and 19 aces.
“I was a bit nervous because we lost 10 seniors,” Wysocki said. “We had a whole class with younger students coming in. It was a big change, but change is good. I was super excited, but I lost a lot of my close teammates. I had to make new friends and meet new girls. It ended up working out well. We all grew together.”
Stevenson coach Tim Crow gives Wysocki credit for some of that. Crow said this was the youngest team in his 23 years of coaching. Sophomore setter Ryler Bondad was the only returnee besides Wysocki.
“It’s one thing, as a leader, taking one or two of them under her wings, but she, in reality, had at least five of them,” Crow said. “That’s a lot for one person, even for a coach, to handle. She got a true look at what leadership is. Leadership comes in different forms.
“She figured it out as the season went on. She was the hardest-working player on the team. She led by example, but also by making plays in games and also holding herself accountable for mistakes.”
Wysocki’s father, Kevin, said he encouraged her to leave her comfort zone this past season.
“It was very hard for her to play that alpha role,” Kevin Wysocki said. “Humility is ingrained in her. She doesn’t want to show anybody up or make people look bad. Her coach asked her. We, as parents, told her she has a different role. Her athletic ability would take care of itself, but she had to have the skill to lead the girls and to develop the team to what they wanted to be by the end of the season. It was a challenge for her.”
Ava Wysocki, who was named the North Suburban Conference’s player of the year and was picked for the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association’s 4A all-state second team, said she and her teammates experienced growing pains along the way.
The Patriots started the season with two losses, won their next two matches and then lost three in a row. But after a loss on Oct. 4, they won eight of nine.
“I did not think we would get this far even though we had a lot of young talent,” Ava Wysocki said. “We were a bit inconsistent. There were days we were great, but other days we looked like we honestly didn’t care. It was a little frustrating. It was kind of iffy how far we would make it, but at the end of the day, everyone stepped up their games.”
Including her.
“She has a big personality, but I rarely saw her show emotion until this season,” Kevin Wysocki said. “She was flexing her arms, putting her arms around girls. That’s not like her. It was a good skill for her to learn that will help her throughout her athletic and professional careers.”
Indeed, Ava Wysocki noted that her voice wasn’t her only tool as a leader. Body language, for instance, was important.
She also refined her game, putting in the work to improve in the back row and become a more effective six-rotation player.
“I’ve realized the importance of leading by example, not just through my performance on the court, but also through my attitude, work ethic and interactions with others,” Ava Wysocki said. “I’ve had to be more patient and understanding with the younger, less experienced players, helping them grow not just in skill, but in confidence.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
