Elizabeth Cook had an impressive season with the Walton Elite Volleyball Club.
Cook, who will be a senior at Oglethorpe County High School this year, was selected as an All-American while helping lead her 17 & Under team to a third-place finish out of 156 teams at the AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida, last month.
The award not only goes to players who are great on the court, but also players who are upstanding individuals off the court.
“I think all my players know that I’m going to work really hard, and I’m also going to be that friend that you can come to about anything,” Cook said.
Cook, who started playing volleyball at 11 years old, has made major improvements to her game, especially the past couple of years. She predominantly serves as an outside hitter for the Patriots and middle blocker for club.
From her sophomore to junior season, Cook’s hitting percentage increased from .154 to .300. She was selected as Area 8-A Division I Player of the Year after her junior season.
“I was very emotional because all the coaches in my region voted on that award,” Cook said. “I felt very honored getting that award.”
OCHS coach Brianne Harrison nominated her for the award and said all of the coaches in the area “overwhelmingly agreed.”
Harrison has coached Cook since middle school and is impressed by her growth. She noted Cook more than doubled her kills from her sophomore to junior season, going from 97 to 227 kills.
Harrison noted Cook’s ability to play all six rotations and places extra emphasis on her serving abilities. She remembered a match against Rabun County during Cook’s sophomore season where she served 24 points in a row.
“One of my favorite things about her is that I know when she goes to serve, I have 100% confidence in her,” Harrison said. “She knows where to put the ball.”
Harrison and Cook both credit Walton Elite’s training as a huge reason to how she has been able to hone her skills. They agree that the level of play is more competitive and allows Cook to stay fresh during the school’s offseason.
Cook said in addition to her club and school training, she works out to improve aspects of her game, like her vertical jump and arm speed. She knows that to compete at the level that she wants to, she has to put in extra work outside of her regular team training.
“I want to be the best on the court,” Cook said. “And I think having that mindset makes me a better player and makes me love the sport more.”
Cook will continue playing at OCHS for her senior season and will be joining the 18s team at Walton Elite next season.
Cook hopes to play collegiately after high school. She mentioned she has been in contact with Division I, II and III schools, and recently went on her first visit to Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia.
After college, Cook is considering an array of options.
While playing professional volleyball is a goal, she also wants to have a family and live her life outside of the sport. She wants to study education and possibly attend cosmetology school.
Coaching is also a dream, whether it be at the high school or college level.
Harrison knows Cook will succeed in whatever she chooses to do. She said everyone knows Cook is a “dominant” and “standout” player.
“She’s going to be successful, because she has that drive,” Harrison said.