Lemont High School junior Courtney Keefe just likes to dive in.
“I went through every single sport imaginable,” Keefe said of finding sports to play in her youth. “I did soccer. I did basketball. I did it all. When I played basketball, I dived to save balls. In soccer, I was a goalie and I was diving all the time. So I was thinking ‘I’ll have to go to volleyball.’ So I stuck with that.”
And she’s diving in again to try to help a college program that can use a boost.
The 5-foot-10 Keefe made an early college commitment to Bradley University, a team that finished the 2009 season with a 9-23 overall record and an 0-18 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference.
She will have to wait a year before diving into that, however.
After all, she has her senior year at Lemont to get through. The Indians are expected to be strong this season. And before that, she and her club teammates at 1st Alliance Volleyball will try for a high finish in national competition.
But trying to help turn a college program around is a challenge Keefe enjoys.
“It’s something I would like to accomplish,” Keefe said. “[Braves coach Sean Burdette] is amazing. He’s just starting to get the program together. He has the coaching staff in line and I absolutely love all of them. I’m so excited. We’re probably going to succeed by my junior year there.”
Other 1st Alliance players on the roster include former Mother McAuley standout Allie Gardner, former Maine West star Alise Tupurtis and former Downers Grove South standout Jessica McNellis. New to the 2010 team will be another 1st Alliance player, Lauren Zerante of York High School.
Lemont coach Chris Zogata believes Keefe will be a key to the Peoria schools attempt to get things back on track.
“I think Courtney can help their program turn around. In my opinion, it’s s good position for her to be in,” the coach said. “Players like her know how to win and I’m sure that’s why she was recruited. If you are going to build a program, those are the kinds of kids you want – kids who know how to win, want to win and enjoy winning.”
Zogota thinks Keefe is a good all-around player whose hitting is outstanding and whose passing has improved in three years on the varsity.
“I’m very excited for her, I think she’s going to have a wonderful time there,” the coach said. “She works hard and takes care of business on the volleyball court. I’m very happy for her.
Keefes senior season at Lemont will be chalenging. The Indians made it to sectional play in Class 3A but fell to Wheaton St. Francis. Two-time defending state champion Joliet Catholic Academy is another team that finds its way to the same sectional Lemont feeds into.
So Keefe is not diving right in and making any bold predictions.
“A lot of the private schools have big seniors going off to college so we have a better chance of going to state,” Keefe said. “I would love to go to state. That would be my goal. I don’t know if we will be able to or not. I’ve heard all the stories about how amazing the atmosphere is and how intense and competitive it is.
“I just want to be in that position.”
By Jeff Vorva
TribLocal.com reporter
