Springs Valley Community High School

Every time Kenzie Harrell takes the floor, she does so with some reminders on her person. On the front and back of her jersey are the number 13, her number, but it’s more than that. It’s also a reminder of the day her dad, Eric, died: May 13, 2021. On the heel of each of her shoes is another reminder. On her right sneaker is the message “RIP Daddy” with a heart. On her left is “Isaiah 41:10,” a bible verse which reads: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Those reminders all serve an important purpose. Through them, Harrell’s able to bring her father into the gym with her. “When my dad first died I got a bible and the one that I wrote on my shoe was one of the ones that was highlighted. It’s one of the verses that’s stuck with me ever since,” Harrell said. “Then on the other shoe I just put ‘RIP Dad’ with a heart. I just wanted him to be with me so I could always remember that he’s a part of me.” Despite her love for volleyball, there was a point this summer at which Harrell wasn’t going to play. She stepped away from the team and in the process lost touch with a significant part of her support system. Ultimately, that’s part of what brought her back to volleyball. She needed the game and the support of her teammates and coaches. “It was something that I really needed because I missed my dad and there was a void that he left. They kind of fill that and it makes me feel better,” Harrell said. “This summer I missed it so much and coming back has helped me a lot because it just gets my mind off of things. I know my dad wanted me to play too and that’s one of the reasons I came back: he didn’t ever want me to quit and he knew that I loved it.” At the same time, the team needed her. Springs Valley coach Erin Carnes wanted Harrell to finish out her volleyball career, knowing that her particular disposition is one that the Blackhawks would need in their locker room if they were going to reach their potential. Carnes would give Harrell some space, but always made sure to stay in contact with her and casually suggest that she could still play. In the end it worked. “I can be pretty convincing when I need to be and letting Kenzie walk away her final season wasn't something that I was going to let go that easily. I spoke with her on and off over the course of a few months and in the beginning, she was giving me some hard nos,” Carnes said. “I would leave her alone for a couple of weeks and then when I would see her out and about, I would joke with her again about how it wasn't too late to come back. When she finally did break the news to us, we were elated. Kenzie has been on an emotional roller coaster for the past year and a half and I had a feeling that when she was ready, she would find her way back to her family on the court.” Part of the reason for Carnes’ persistence was the “spark” that Harrell brings to the floor. She’s a constantly positive person, always working to hype up her teammates and support them. She’s been that way her entire life and sees no reason to stop now. “I was always brought up to support everyone around me and be happy for everybody else because I would want that in return,” Harrell said. “I just want to hype everybody up because I know they’ll do the same for me. I’ve always been that kind of person on and off the volleyball court.” That sort of attitude is something that’s very beneficial for a team to have. It helps with navigating the pinnacles and valleys of a long season and helps create some unity within the group. Carnes has seen it in action for years and over the past month it’s been big for her current squad. “That’s just who Kenzie is. She’s the textbook example of a great teammate and she wants her team to do well no matter what her particular role is. On or off the court, Kenzie maintains a positive attitude and we are so lucky to have her,” Carnes said. “I know Eric is watching her with that same contagious smile and must be so proud of the person she’s becoming.” Now, Harrell hopes to help her team go further than it has in years. The Blackhawks aren’t only chasing Patoka Lake Athletic Conference and sectional championships, things they’ve won in each of the past three seasons, they want more than that. They hope to win the program’s first regional championship since 1999 and, after that, win their first semi-state championship ever. They’ll get a chance to accomplish both of those things when the state tournament begins in about a month and most recently ranked as the third-best team in Class 1A in the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association poll, they’re primed to take it. As they go on that journey, Harrell knows that her dad will be with her. She’ll be reminded of that every time she looks down at her uniform whether she’s in French Lick, off at regional in Loogootee, or even at the State Finals in Muncie. “It would mean everything to me. We’ve wanted to win regional, semi-state, and state ever since our freshman year. It's always been a goal for us, and I’ve always told my parents that was one of our goals as a team and one of my personal goals,” Harrell said. “I know he’s always looking down at me, watching everything I do, and cheering me on from above. Being able to look down at my shoes at any time, any point in the game whether it’s a happy moment or a sad moment, and remember that brings me happiness. I know he’s cheering me on as well as my teammates and coaches.”