Senior Kai Talebi was sitting on the bench when she first realized that her last high school volleyball game was about to end.

“I think we were down 10-14, and it hit me because they were serving, and everyone was like get low, get low, and I turned to my teammates Kafia and Isa on the bench, and I was like, ‘Wow, this could be my last game.’ They turned and hugged me. Then we lost the point and that was when it kind of sunk in that it was over.”

With that, the McCallum Knights volleyball team 2024 season came to an abrupt end for five seniors with a sudden and unexpected loss on Nov. 4 against the Hendrickson Hawks in the opening round of the 5A state playoffs.

All senior athletes have a moment like this one where despite their valiant efforts to prolong their careers, they inexorably reach an end. While it is often a difficult moment to endure, it sets in motion the next chapter and raises an unavoidable question.

What is next for female senior athletes at McCallum? That moment just happened for volleyball players, but the Class of 2024 seniors who play spring sports will reach a moment of their own soon enough. The future holds many options.

Senior Greta Carlson is one of them. Carlson, a volleyball team captain and the offensive Most Valuable Player in District 24-5A, has committed to play Division 3 volleyball at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Carlson will major in engineering design and minor in mathematics if she is accepted to the school academically. Carlson would also love to join a club/organization though she is not sure which one yet. While Carlson is very skilled on the court, she is also top of her class in academics.

Carlson has been around volleyball for a very long time, and it has had a very big impact on her life.

“This will be my eighth year playing club, but I grew up watching my sister play volleyball, so I have been around it for much longer,” she said. “My experience with volleyball has made me an overall stronger person. It has forced me to gain the skill of time management and has made me appreciate the benefits of hard work.”

Another senior standout on the varsity volleyball team, outside hitter Sophie Koch doesn’t yet know what college she will be attending, but she does know that she will not be playing volleyball for her college. She hopes to continue her connection to the sport with intramurals.

Koch wants to explore new things and try everything she can.

“I am most excited to start a new chapter in my life and grow in community as well as my education.”

Koch said she is drawn to the fields of child psychology or counseling. Along with Carlson, Koch also has a long history with volleyball. Through her years in the sport, she has gained more than court skills: she’s developed qualities that have served her far beyond the game.

“I have been playing volleyball since I was in fourth grade,” Koch said. “Volleyball has taught me how to build community, become a leader, learn how to be a cheerleader for others and work hard, all things I think have prepared me well for the next part of my life.”

Senior Emy Chen, starting point guard on the girls basketball team, is beginning her fourth year on varsity.

Chen fell in love with basketball at a young age. She loves the energy on the court and the electricity with her team.

“I think it has something to do with the fast pace of the game, and the teamwork needed,” she said. “Basketball has taught me communication skills with teammates and adaptability. Things never go as planned, so you have to be able to read a situation and respond to it by communicating with teammates.”

Chen is not only a competitor on the court but also on the Knights debate team. Chen plans on going D3 but has not yet decided where she will attend. She is waiting to see where her academic and athletic career takes her.

“I have received a few offers from some schools, but I’ve decided to go through the application process to see where I get in before I commit to a school,” she said.

While she has not decided where she will attend, she does know what subjects she wants to study.

“I plan on majoring in political science with a focus on public policy,” she said.

Chen can’t wait for the college experience and all the new adventures that it will bring.

“I’m very excited to be able to take advantage of all of the resources that colleges have available, and to be able to take courses in what I’m most interested in.”

Senior Ashley Mankinen is on the girls varsity soccer team. Menkin has lived in Austin her whole life and is looking forward to the opportunity to branch out. She would love to explore the coast.

Mankinen’s ideal college experience would be in California or Florida, playing Division II soccer.

“D2, I feel like that is a pretty good balance, for sport and academics,” Mankinen said.

Mankinen has received a few offers, but so far none have stood out. She is interested in multiple majors, “but the main ones I am interested in are sports management and sport psychology, so I definitely want to stay connected with sports.”

Mankinen has had 14 years of experience playing soccer and has learned many valuable life lessons.

“It has really helped me with working with other people because you may not always have teammates that are your favorite, or your friend, but you still have to respect them and be able to work with them.”

Like many other seniors at our school, these four athletes are looking forward  to the opportunities that await them after high school. Their experience with sports has taught them many valuable lessons and life skills. While they are all taking different paths, they will always be connected through the love of their sport and their teammates.