Elladee Escobar (12) prepares to set the ball over the net. Escobar has been playing volleyball since fifth grade. “ My older sister played volleyball for her highschool, ever since I watched her play, I knew I wanted to play volleyball too”, Escobar said. Her senior year she will be co-captain for the DePue high school varsity volleyball team.

She takes a deep breath in, pulls up her knee pads and starts on into the gym. Overwhelmed, she looked around at all the other girls playing. Hearing sounds of the shoes squeaking on the floor and the volleyballs bouncing everywhere, she pursues onward. Little fifth grade Elladee Escobar walks into her first volleyball practice. 

“In fifth grade I was diagnosed with ADHD. That point in my life was really hard for me because I struggle with school a lot. My older sister played volleyball throughout her highschool career and she said it kept her on track. She recommended me to start playing. I wasn’t very good at first but I slowly became better and fell in love with the sport”, Escobar said.

As Elladee’s ADHD became more manageable, she got better and better at volleyball and began to have more passion for the sport. She conditioned hard and put her best effort into playing, so much so, that she was appointed co-captain of the DePue High School varsity volleyball team.

“Volleyball is the one thing that I have never quit. Once I heard the whistle for that first match to begin, I become focused and prepared. When I’m playing I feel invincible. I try as hard as I can to play better than I did at practice, I am always trying to push myself to be better. I don’t just do it for me though, I do it for my team. I have to be a good example for all the girls on my team and keep them hyped up”.

Escobar plans on furthering her career in volleyball into college. As of now she plans on going to Illinois State University for her teaching degree.