Get to know Normal West volleyball player, Northwestern commit Averie Hernandez
NORMAL, Ill. — Meet Averie Hernandez, a Normal West Senior and Northwestern volleyball commit.
Age: 17
School: Normal West High School
Grade: 12
Team/s: Normal West Volleyball
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Averie Hernandez: I love being around friends and family anytime I don’t have sports. I have 4 siblings who all play sports so when I have time off, there is always someone’s game to watch.
When you close your eyes and dream about your future what does that look like?
Hernandez: When I think about my future I’m hoping to make an impact on Northwestern’s volleyball team in whatever way I can as soon as possible and am so excited for all the opportunities that I will have athletically and academically by going there.
Ask someone in your family to pick one work to describe you. Who did you pick and what word did they use?
Hernandez: My parents – Authentic
As an athlete, what is a rule you live by?
Hernandez: A rule I live by as an athlete is to judge mistakes as growth instead of failure. Every time you make a mistake it is another opportunity to get better at a certain skill.
How would you describe your personality?
Hernandez: I would describe my personality as pretty easy going and laid back. I care a lot about the people in my life. I like to have fun and try my hardest to see the best in every situation.
Do you have a pregame ritual you always do?
Hernandez: Getting hyped in the locker room with my teammates before a game.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Hernandez: It’s hard to choose one but one of the best pieces of advice I have received would be to put in the amount of work you expect from your teammates. If I want to be a leader and hold my teammates accountable I should be doing just as much or more work than others during practice and games.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it?
Hernandez: During my junior season of high school our team focused a lot on accountability. One of my closest friends on the team was giving less than I knew she could. I got on her about showing up for her teammates to try and motivate her to play harder. It resulted in her struggling for the next few points because she was frustrated that I called her out. I realized after this that I could’ve said things differently and maybe avoided making her frustrated. After the game we talked it out and it was a beneficial conversation going forward. I think we both learned from it and are better because of it!
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.