Oak Ridge junior volleyball player, Brooke Clark, steps from the shadows and into the spotlight

OAK RIDGE, Texas — Brooke Clark of Oak Ridge’s volleyball team has stepped comfortably into her new upperclassman shoes as a leader for her teammates.

The junior outside hitter has spent a season in the spotlight as one of the Lady War Eagles’ star players with 366 kills for the season alone. Oak Ridge volleyball Head Coach Tommie Sledge said that after two years of competing with older players, it’s finally Clark’s time to shine.

“Brooke has always been this power force. She had some competition with some older girls in front of her, so this year it’s really been her time to shine and show what she’s always had, because it really is what she’s always had and what she’s always looked like,” Sledge said. “It was just harder to see kind of in a shadow, and she’s no longer in that shadow, so she is a bright, shining star.”

Clark, who started playing volleyball when she was only six years old, said her experience paved the way to her success and that she was grateful for the years spent shadowing older athletes. Now, she has the opportunity to help younger teammates.

“I think it’s good because I’ve been on both sides of it. Playing behind someone last year gave me the opportunity to see how she did and how she led the team, and so this year it’s been me just kind of stepping into her role and being an example,” Clark said. “I like it because it gives me the opportunity to help those below me like those above me last year. I help them with what I know and show them my experience.”

With plans to continue her career at the collegiate level, Clark has been speaking with several schools. As of right now, she has her eyes on her 1,000th kill for her high school career. She only has about 30 more kills to go after the 23 she had at Oak Ridge’s match against The Woodlands.

Despite the team’s last two district losses, they are still leading with their 24-5 overall record. Clark said that with every match throughout the season, the team just tries to maintain a positive mindset, win or lose.

“We just try to stay up. Once we get down, it’s really hard to fight back up, so just staying positive throughout the game,” Clark said. “We come together as a team. We’re a really strong team, and we have a really good bond with each other, so just sticking together as one unit.”