The Pochay sisters share a season they once only hoped for
CHINO HILLS, Calif. — For Natalia Pochay, volleyball has been part of her life for nearly a decade. For her younger sister, Katya, it began by watching Natalia play.
Now, the two sisters are sharing something their family once hoped might happen: a season together at Chino Hills High School.
Natalia, 17, is a senior and co-captain of the varsity volleyball team. Katya, 13, is a young freshman who has already earned a place on varsity.
For their parents, Ihor and Ella Pochay, seeing their daughters share the court is especially meaningful.
During COVID, both girls were homeschooled for one year. When Katya took the entrance exam for the homeschool program at Ontario Christian School, she skipped second grade. She was academically ready, but the decision also reflected a family hope: that the sisters might have at least one year together in high school.
Six years later, that hope has become reality.
Not only are the sisters attending the same high school, but they are also playing varsity volleyball together and holding leadership roles in ASB.
Natalia’s journey began when she was 7. Her parents introduced her to several sports, including swimming, soccer, and tennis, but volleyball quickly stood out.
“Volleyball became my favorite because I loved the team aspect and the excitement of constantly learning new skills,” Natalia said.
She has now played four years at Chino Hills, including three on varsity, while also playing club volleyball since she was 11. As an outside hitter and defensive specialist, she is involved in nearly every aspect of a match.
“I love being a six-rotation outside hitter because it makes me a pivotal part of the game,” she said. “I’m almost always involved in the play in some way, whether I’m serving, passing, playing defense, blocking, or attacking.”
Her accomplishments reflect years of dedication. Natalia was named JV MVP in 2023 and received the varsity leadership award in 2025. Her club team earned a bronze medal at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship and captured the SCVA Regional Division title in 2024. She has also medaled at beach volleyball tournaments, once while playing alongside Katya.
But Natalia’s influence at Chino Hills extends well beyond athletics.
She is ASB Executive Secretary, Health Science Academy Vice President, and helped lead Chino Hills ASB to the NASC Gold Council of Excellence Award in both 2025 and 2026, the first time in school history the school received the honor. She participates in Jesus Club and women’s Bible study, volunteers with Food for Life, and has interned at Spectrum MRI and SoCal Injury Treatment Center.
Outside school, she enjoys hiking, longboarding at the beach, biking, pickleball, Spikeball, and reading. She also creates YouTube content and has built a community of more than 1,000 subscribers.
Through all of those experiences, Natalia said her parents have been among her greatest inspirations.
“My parents are a huge inspiration to me because they constantly support me and push me to be my best,” she said.
Their encouragement has helped shape how she approaches leadership. As captain, Natalia sees her role as more than simply playing well.
“As a captain, I also have a responsibility to lead beyond my position by communicating on the court, encouraging my teammates, setting the tone in practices and games, and helping keep the team focused and connected,” she said.
Katya has been watching that example for years.
“I’ve watched my sister play volleyball since a young age, and it has inspired me to play,” she said.
She began playing at 9 and has already earned two beach volleyball tournament medals in 2026, an SCVA Bid Event silver medal in 2025, an SCVA Regional Division championship in 2024, and an undefeated CVUSD Girls Volleyball Junior High championship in 2024.
As a setter and right-side hitter, Katya embraces the leadership that comes with directing the offense.
“I lead and direct the plays on the court just as a quarterback would in football,” she said.
She enjoys setting her teammates up for success while contributing defensively and offensively.
Katya’s goals are already focused on the next level. She hopes to play college volleyball, with an interest in pursuing a business career in the medical field.
Natalia is also navigating the college recruiting process and hopes to continue playing volleyball while studying biomedical engineering.
“I love the idea of using creativity, science, and problem-solving to help people,” she said.
Her interest in medicine has grown through her internships and her love of science, her favorite subject in school.
For Katya, math is her favorite subject because it challenges her. Outside volleyball, she enjoys beach volleyball, paddleboarding, skiing, and pickleball.
Both sisters credit their family and the people around them for helping them develop. Katya said she is inspired by people who can fall down and get back up without becoming discouraged. Natalia said her friends have become like a second family, while her coaches have taught her lessons about competition, leadership, and life.
Their shared volleyball experience has taught them another important lesson: mistakes are part of the game.
“The game is built around mistakes and small wins, so you always have an opportunity to recover and make a difference on the very next play,” Natalia said.
That ability to move forward has become part of her approach to life as well.
“One bad play doesn’t define the rest of a game, or your life,” she said.
One of Natalia’s favorite volleyball memories was winning the Battle of the Bone against Ayala.
“Being part of such a competitive rivalry and experiencing that win with my teammates was incredibly special,” she said.
After high school volleyball concludes, they will transition directly into club season. Katya will play up at the 18U level as a setter with Natalia for Forza1 North 18 National Red, giving them opportunities to compete together at regional and national tournaments and potentially internationally. The team hopes to compete in Italy in spring 2027.
They may have different positions, different personalities, and different goals for the future. But for one unforgettable year, the Pochay sisters shared the same court.
And that may be the most special achievement of all.
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.
