By Derrick Smith

There are people in each of our lives that help us become the people we are. This could be someone who was an intricate part of our life, such as a parent, or someone we watched from a distance, like a celebrity. Lauryn Walters says that the biggest role model in her life would have to be the coach that introduced her to volleyball.

“The person who made the biggest impact on my life would have to be coach Carly,” she said. “She was my first volleyball coach and was always there for me in and out of volleyball, and she still is. Her patience, kindness, and dedication are all admirable attributes that I too want to carry in my life. She was also one of the main reasons I fell in love with the sport of volleyball.”

Walters is a senior at Owasso High School and is a member of the Lady Rams volleyball team. She has played volleyball for seven years and currently plays outside hitter.

As a student in the classroom, Walters has sat through lessons taught by a lot of different teachers over a variety of subjects. But she says that over the years, there has been one teacher that stands out above the rest. 

“My favorite teacher is probably Mrs. Fry,” she said. “Not only did she teach me math but she also taught me how to be a helpful, kind, and genuine person, and those are things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Becoming the player that she is on the volleyball court is not something that just happened overnight. 

“It has taken a lot of hard work,” she said. “I have also had to spend a lot of time on the court, off the court, and in the weight room. If you want to be the best athlete you can be, you have to be dedicated to getting better.”

Outside of athletics, Walters is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as the senior board.