PETOSKEY — You won’t find energy or enthusiasm listed on the stat sheet of any volleyball match.
But, if there was, Gimiwanokwe Keller would be filling all the boxes.
The North Central Michigan College freshman and Harbor Springs native is just beginning her collegiate career with the Timberwolves’ volleyball team and she’s smiling from ear to ear every step of the way.
For Keller, there’s been a lot to love so far.
“I think it’s just been a really welcoming environment,” Keller said. “From the start, I came in at tryouts and they were so supportive and always so willing to work. You can tell they all want to be here and it just makes me love it even more.”
Only the second Harbor Springs all-state volleyball athlete ever a year ago, Keller left the Rams as a dominant middle blocker and hitter at the high school level, though entered college with a lot to learn, which she knew she would.
“It really was a lot of learning, but that’s the challenge I signed up for,” Keller said. “Every time I’m able to replicate it in a game I turn to my coach like, ‘Did you see that?’ I’m just so proud of myself. It just feels so accomplishing.”
Keller is also proud of the fact that she’s able to be where she is, attending college right next to her hometown, something she wasn’t always sure would happen.
“I was really hoping for it,” she said. “In my junior year (Coach Shannon Flippin) ended up being at one of my games and just put the idea in my head. I really wasn’t planning on going to college, but once I knew I was, I knew I wanted to play volleyball. So this was the best option for me.”
It’s been a good option, too.
North Central, coming off a 20-win season a year ago, is off to a roaring 9-3 start, which included a three-set sweep (25-12, 25-18, 25-12) over Alpena Community College on Monday, Sept. 15.
Keller saw plenty of action against Alpena, and while her final stat line is modest, she brings something to the court that’s valued in so many ways.
“She’s got really good energy,” NCMC coach Shannon Flippin said. “Sometimes that’s worth just as much as your actual playing ability. So to bring that energy onto the floor when we just need a little extra juice; today we needed a little extra because we had a long weekend.”
There’s not a moment where Keller isn’t animated on the court, hyping up teammates or regrouping everyone on the floor after an error. She adds the same kind of spirit standing along the bench.
If it looks like she’s having a lot of fun, she definitely is.
“I am,” she said. “I really, really am.”
She’s surrounded by a talented group, notably outside hitter Chloe Winchell, setter Laken Lebaron and libero Taylor Hafeman, who all continue to re-write the NCMC record books seemingly every time they step on the court.
There are others within the lineup stepping up as well, like Brimley native Ceara LeBlanc, a sophomore, along with freshman Annie Grew and Suttons Bay native and sophomore Leah Fleis, among others.
The Timberwolves aren’t as tall as they were last year or previous seasons, so their game has changed some, but it’s led to the best start through 12 games in the young program’s history.
“We’re just a good ball control team,” Flippin added. “We have some offensive weapons, but when things get a little wonky, we’re able to handle that a little better maybe than last year. We were taller and could block more last year, but this year we’re smaller and play ball control.”
After a long weekend that came with a 2-1 record, then a win Monday over Alpena, the Timberwolves will hit the road for another conference match at Bay College on Wednesday, Sept. 17. The next home match in Petoskey Plastics Arena will come at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 22 against Muskegon Community College.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Harbor Springs’ Keller helping bring some life to the court for NCMC volleyball
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
