Profile on TWHS volleyball player, Courtney Quinn

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Well, the school year is almost over and the amazing senior volleyball players from The Woodlands High School will be moving on to the next chapter of their lives.

Courtney Quinn is the picture of success who possesses a winning mentality on and off the court. Similar to the Eckenrode and Cook households, one must wonder if there is something in the drinking water at the Quinn abode that pushes the inhabitants to be the best they can be, settling for nothing less than their best. This is not in reference to Courtney's Lone Star Volleyball Player of the Year and Volleyball Magazine All-American achievements. This is about her amazing character that trumps her many athletic accolades as a result of her being a ridiculous outside hitter.

We all know how good "Court" is on the court. It's time to learn about Courtney Quinn off the volleyball court and outside of the classroom in this week's Woodlands Online profile:

How long have you been playing volleyball and how were you introduced to it?
I've been playing volleyball since I was seven. I was walking with my mom and saw some girls playing volleyball in the gym and turned to her and said, "That's what I want to do". I had pretty much tried every sport preceding that moment and had lost interest, but volleyball was the one that stuck. There were no teams that had kids my age, so I practiced for two years, and when I turned nine I tried out for my first club team. The youngest age group they had were 12s so I started off playing with girls who were older than I was, which looking back I think really helped in my development as a player and a person.

What was it about the University of Pennsylvania that made you decide to be an Ivy Leaguer?
I completely fell in love with Penn when I went to visit. The academics were a huge factor in deciding on Penn. How do you pass up an opportunity to attend an Ivy League school? When I visited I felt welcomed by the teammates and coaches, and it felt like a really comfortable environment for me; I could really envision myself spending the next chapter in my life at this amazing school. The other colleges that were high on my radar were Duke, Harvard, and Louisville.

What will your major be?
I'm undecided at the moment but probably something in the math field.

Have you enjoyed going to The Woodlands High School?
I LOVE The Woodlands. From an athletes perspective, I think one of the coolest things about the Woodlands is the support that the athletes show for each other. At our games you could look up at the stands and see kids from football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, track, softball, etc... It is a really cool feeling to know that you have all the other programs pulling for you, and it's fun to go to their games in return. It creates such a family atmosphere. Outside of athletics, in the classroom, TWHS prepares their students very well for college because of its competitive environment. We have very challenging classes available at our school that allow any student to be able to excel at any college they plan to attend. I think Principal Dr. Colschen is a huge reason why our school has excelled the way it has because he goes above and beyond for every program. The people at TWHS are the ones that I have made all my memories with, and I am very thankful for all of them. They have immensely contributed to why my high school experience has been so enjoyable.

Describe this school year's championship team.
This team has been the funnest team I have ever played on. Every day I couldn't wait until I got to see those girls again because I knew it would lead to endless laughter. What our coaches stressed, which I think is very rare and what other coaches fail to do, is that we were a family. What really drove us through the playoffs this year was how bad we wanted it for each other. Our senior class wanted our junior class to have that same state experience that we did, and our junior class wanted our senior class to go out with a state championship. We were truly playing for each other and would make the most out of every game. We genuinely wanted to be around each other and would spend time together both on and off the court. We were, and still are, all best friends. I would do anything for those girls because they have become my family. The coaches are way more than just coaches to me, they are role models. They haven't just developed me as a volleyball player, but as a person too. They taught all of us so many lessons on how to be strong women, and created such a comfortable environment for everyone in our program. They care about each one of us as a person, and put in time getting to know everyone individually. I enjoyed playing for the highlanders because some of my best memories have been with those girls. I will always remember our Pearland trip, our state celebration when we got home, and of course our dance parties. I was also lucky enough to always have a Quinn sister on my team, and have a state championship memory with both of them. When I graduate and think back on my high school years, I know I will immediately think of the memories from our volleyball team.

What do you do away from school and volleyball?
I spend most of my free time with my friends and can always count on them to make me laugh. We don't really get much free time with our volleyball schedule since it's pretty much year round. When we do I like to do anything active, which most of my friends are usually up for since they're mostly athletes.

Do you have a volleyball role model?
My role models for volleyball are my two sisters. I grew up watching my older sister, Kelly, play and knew she was going to become an amazing athlete. She is one of the best liberos in the country in my opinion and was always a supporting teammate to have on the court. She brought so much energy to the court and she was never something you would have to worry about. Every player felt confident knowing that she was on the back row and every game she would consistently perform with excellence. She plays at LSU now and I know she will make her mark on their program. Even though Colby is younger then me, she is equally as much of a role model as my older sister is. Even in the closest games, she was always so calm. Every stressful game we had this year she could always be someone you could count on to make their serve or not freak out. I think that says a lot, especially from a junior who experienced playoffs for the first time this year. When everyone was stressed in tight games you could look to her to always put a smile on your face and remind you to have fun. Both my sisters made huge impacts in the success of both state teams and they are the people that I look up to the most. I'm very fortunate to have been able to play my favorite sport with my best friends, and create memories that most families don't get to have.

How has the support from your family been through the years?
In all aspects of my life, my family has been there for me every step of the way. My parents brought my sisters and I to an immense number of colleges at a young age in order to expose us to various types of colleges that we might want to attend. They never tried to force a certain opinion on us and always asked us which ones we were interested in, and would support our decision. In everything that we do our family supports each other and I love the family unit that we have. We are all best friends and I'm immensely blessed to be surrounded the family I have. They are the best people that I know and I love them more than anything.

Tell us three things we don't know about you.
I can juggle (I'm not like amazing but I can do it). I can touch my tongue to my nose, and I love pandas and still sleep with stuffed animal ones every night.

Two time state champion coach, Leslie Madison shared her thoughts on Courtney...

"Courtney personifies what a coach looks for in a player. She is hard working, coachable, positive and consistent. I was extremely fortunate to be able to coach Courtney all four years of her high school career. She is one of those kids you love to be around because she always has a smile on her face and a good attitude. The schools that passed on her because of her size will regret it. I can't wait to follow her success as a student-athlete at UPENN."

Late in the 2013 state championship run, I was seated on press row which was very close to the court. Seated directly behind press row was the opposing team's student section so they were right on top of the court. They were loud and obnoxious and they were getting as personal as they could get without knowing the Lady Highlanders, and Courtney was getting an earful. I won't go into details because it isn't fit for print. Just know it was ugly and it was hurtful. I asked Courtney about it and she offered the following...

"Yeah, it's pretty hard not to hear them, but I think it's more important to not fuel their fire and encourage it by showing them a reaction. Even when it's personal, I don't value what people who don't actually know or respect me think about me, so I don't really take it personally. To be mentally strong is something I've learned from volleyball and hope to continue to carry with me."

What a class act! Enjoy your time at PENN and don't forget your Pandas, Courtney.