The News-Press selects players who stood out from the previous week based on coaches’ reports and school nominations sent to sports@news-press.com, as well as our own reporting. These players are voted on every Monday on news-press.com, where readers can vote for who they think performed best. The winner of the News-Press Player of the Week poll, sponsored by Elevate Home Services, will receive a T-shirt provided by BSN Sports and a tote bag provided by USA Today High School Sports Awards. To get to know the winners better, the News-Press will hold a Q&A with each player each week.
Riverdale High School volleyball player Olivia Znotens was selected as the News-Press Player of the Week, sponsored by Elevate Home Services, for the period Sept. 9-13. The junior received 45 percent of the vote. She was selected for the award after recording 18 kills, two aces and 22 digs in a 3-1 win over North Fort Myers.
Q: What made you start playing volleyball?
ZNOTENS: My mom took me to a YMCA camp when I was about 6 years old and I just kept going from then on. I got totally hooked and it was like the first sport I ever tried and I never wanted to try anything else.
What is your most memorable moment playing volleyball?
ZNOTENS: When I was 14 and I was in a club, we went to USAV Nationals and won Orlando Nationals, which was a big thing for us, and then my high school season last year, when I broke the school record for kills in a season.
Previously: The News-Press Player of the Week winner for September 3-7 was Mariners bowler Trey Remus
What are your team and individual goals for this season?
Znotens: Personally, I would like to break the 1,000 kill record in my junior season, that would be amazing, and as a team I would like to win districts and qualify for regionals.
What do you think is the hardest thing about life as a high school athlete that people don’t realize?
Znotens: I think it’s about balancing your social life, sports and school. You have to find that balance.
Previously: Bishop Vero bowler Mia Gasperini, News-Press Player of the Week winner, Aug. 26-31.
What do you want from a university?
ZNOTENS: If you asked me this question two years ago, I would have said I wanted to leave Florida. But now I love Florida and I love the sun, so I definitely want to stay here and go to D1.
As a high school senior, have you started your school search?
Znotens: I’ve only just started hearing from D1 so it’s still early in the recruiting process but I’m not feeling any pressure yet. I’m just going to go with the flow.
