Lady Cardinals Fullerton wants district title

[KFDM COOP]

Lady Cardinals Fullerton wants district title

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY — Bridge City’s Kayla Fullerton has been waiting years to become a senior.

Since starting to play volleyball in Little Spikers around nine years ago, this year is the one she has been waiting on.

No more listening to teammates a few years older telling her they are going first.

It is her turn.

“It has already been the best experience for me,†Fullerton said. “I have always wanted to do the senior stuff. Like on road trips when we go to eat I can finally say, ‘Hey, seniors first.’

“I love the people I am seniors with. I couldn’t even pick a better group of girls to play volleyball with. We have been playing volleyball with each other for so many years, ever since Little Spikers. They have become more than just teammates. They are my best friends.â€

Bridge City Coach Becca Mathews said she could talk all day and she almost did by spending 15 minutes on a phone interview speaking about Fullerton.

“Volleyball is all she does, it is the only sport she really plays,†Mathews added. “That is her life. She can screw up a million times and her attitude is always up. Kayla has come through in the clutch for us this year. She is kind of out of position at middle blocker but it has not shown.â€

Fullerton had specific reasons for only playing volleyball in high school.

“I am not into a sport that has too much contact or tackling,†Fullerton added. “Volleyball of course is a team sport but also you have to have individual skill. Plus, there is way too much running in basketball.â€

Mathews recently told the senior Lady Cardinals the time was drawing near to create videos for college recruits.

“She walked up and said she might not be good enough but that she would be the best cheerleader from the bench a team could have,†Mathews said. “I guarantee she would be too. Kayla would never complain and be happy right there with the team.â€

Besides all the fun and excitement Fullerton is having, she is also determined to help the Lady Cardinals win.

Bridge City finished second in District 21-3A a year ago and were then upset in the bi-district round against Liberty.

Both situations have motivated Fullerton and her teammates to work a little harder this season.

“Winning is the No. 1 thing on my mind,†Fullerton said. “The main goal is to get first in district. We want to show Bridge City is the best. We have the team to do it. We can take anyone who comes against us.â€

No doubt the Lady Cardinals are looking to get past the bi-district round and starting setting the bar higher for Bridge City volleyball.

“We had a great season last year,†Fullerton said. “We came out and beat everyone in the second round of district. Then the Liberty loss hurt. We will not do that again. Second place is last place to me.â€

Mathews likes Fullerton’s determination this season and knows the senior is ready to prove last year’s upset in the bi-district will not happen again in 2007.

“She is very determined,†Mathews said. “Kayla goes into the games quite like I do. She is going to make a team beat her before she admits they deserve to win. She is very self-motivated and we are picked to lose - she wants to defy the odds.â€

Mathews has also grown to love Fullerton’s even temper when either she falls on hard times or the team itself is not producing.

“Kayla is just a happy kid,†Mathews added. “If she has an awful match, you can see it in her eyes but she is not going to get mad.

“She has also become great with our underclassmen. She knows how to talk to them and talks to their level where she does not come off being rude. I like to say she is in ‘Kayla’s World’ and I am dying to join in. I am going to miss her next season.â€