Lovejoy High School’s SadieJane Hand: A rising star in volleyball
LUCAS, Texas — Lovejoy High School junior, SadieJane Hand, is a tough, hard-hitting competitor on the volleyball court. She was pulled up from the junior varsity team to varsity her freshman year during their state championship winning run and remains an integral part of the varsity team. This middle hitter/blocker also plays for club team, Texas Advantage Volleyball Black under coach Jon Nasgowitz. At just 16 years old, she has already started racking up some impressive achievements, including: AVCA Phenom List 2023, 2021 5A State Champion, and Academic All-District.
We asked SadieJane what her biggest challenge is and she said, “I think the biggest challenge is trying not to compare yourself or measure your success against others and not to be too hard on yourself. I have to learn to acknowledge my own accomplishments and find validation not just on the court, but off the court as well.” Putting that advice into practice takes effort. She has started relying not just on the statistics, but how she feels after each practice and game, and reflecting on the contributions she made both on and off the court.
Being a member of a team has taught her many things, including that her purpose is bigger than just putting points up on the board. Understanding that each member, both on and off the court, is an integral piece of the puzzle which helps make teams successful.
She told us, “The best advice I have ever been given was in the form of a book I received from my favorite volleyball coach, Coach Hutch. He gave me a book called You Are Special by Max Lucado. I read this book regularly because it reminds me to be confident in myself and not let what others may say or think about me stick. Coach Hutch and the book remind me that God has made us just the way we are and that is what makes us uniquely special.”
The things SadieJane loves about volleyball are, “I love both being part of a team and the team environment as well as the competitive aspect of volleyball. Being able to compete in every practice and game with girls that I love is my favorite part of the sport.”
When she isn’t on the court, she enjoys hanging out with her family and friends, playing with her dogs, and growing in her faith. Her favorite motto to live by is, “Control the controllable and consider the source.” She also thinks it’s important to “Always remember to have fun and keep your Faith first.”
When discussing her future college ambitions, SadieJane told us, “Lovejoy is a super-competitive environment, especially when it comes to Volleyball. I think it is amazing to see all of my peers achieve success in the sport, and be able to commit to colleges to play while furthering their education alongside those commitments. I am so proud to be among those athletes and play alongside of them. I hope to play in college one day. I have had the opportunity to talk with many coaches from different colleges and different levels of play about possibly continuing my education and my volleyball career. My goal is to find the university I can call home and work towards furthering my volleyball career.”
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