Olhava's standout career measures up at Hersey
When Gabri Olhava joined the Hersey girls volleyball program as a freshman, she had one year of experience playing the sport.
As a middle hitter, she was coming into a program that over the past three decades had produced some of the state's finest at that position.
That list includes names like Kim Nieman, Karlin Sander, Renee Rozinski, Abbie Willenborg, Janet Goreham, Dana Van Diggelen, Ann Carroll and several more.
Being mentioned in the same breath with those elite players was never even close on Olhava's radar when she took her first class at the District 214 school in the fall of 2011.
“Never in a million years,” she said. “When I started playing in eight grade, it was just for fun. I never ever expected to be where I am today.”
Or, where she be a year from now.
Because of her countless hours of work at the game she loves, Olhava will continue the sport at New Hampshire where she will be a Division I NCCA middle blocker.
After leading Hersey to a fourth straight Mid-Suburban East League title and a MSL championship, Olhava heads another list.
She is the honorary captain of the 2014 Daily Herald northwest all-area girls volleyball team.
“Gabri has made her mark at Hersey,” said Huskies coach Nancy lill, who certainly has made her mark with 860 career wins. “Gabri is one of the top five middle hitters I have coached at Hersey.
“Although already an elite player, Gabri is never satisfied with her game and has worked tirelessly to keep improving.”
Olhava started on the sophomore team as a freshman and quickly moved into a starting varsity middle blocker role as a sophomore. With every season, she improved in different areas of her game.
This season was her best one yet.
She dominated her opponents in all phases of the game.
Twice this season, she fell 1 block short of tying the single-season school record.
Olhava finished with 115 blocks.
She also packed a dangerous swing (228 kills), literally.
“Gabri has done serious damage to opponents with her dominating swing,” Lill said. “We have to be careful in practice because Gabri hits the ball so hard. We have lost teammates due to concussions from being on the receiving end of her hits.”
So how did someone come so far in such a short period of time?
“I just put in a lot of time in practice,” she said. “All my coaches have been amazing and really helped me become the player I am today.”
This summer Olhava was on the other end, serving as a coach at Hersey's junior high volleyball camps.
It was at one of those sessions when she received the phone call with the scholarship offer.
Olhava was officiating a match and told Lill she had to take a call from New Hampshire. She had just been to the New Hampshire campus the weekend before for a volleyball camp.
That visit allowed her to get to know the coaches and team and it was also a chance to show those coaches what she was capable of as a player.
Coincidentally, just before receiving the phone call, Olhava was talking to Lill about what a perfect fit she felt New Hampshire was and how she was hoping to hear back from its coaches.
Olhava left the gym and went in the main hallway to take the call.
When she returned, Lill knew she received the offer.
“She had a huge smile on her face,” Lill said. “The junior high kids in our program got to witness first hand one of our athletes getting a scholarship to a Division one school. The sixth and seventh graders were all congratulating Gabri.”
Lill has always had her camps finish with a cheer.
“This time, the kids wanted to cheer for Gabri.”
Olhava will never forget the moment.
“I started crying,” she said. “Courtney (Stedman, Olhava's longtime friend and teammate) started crying. I texted my dad (Steve) and he showed up a half hour later. We were all crying.”
Those younger kids in the gym will never forget the moment either.
“They would come to our matches this season and talk to me about it,” Olhava said. “It's weird because I remember when I was a freshman watching players like Kristen Peterson and Kelsey Haas. And I wanted to be like those girls. It's weird to think I have that influence now on these young girls because I still feel like I'm that young player.”
Olhava has handled the leadership role admirably.
“Gabri has been an incredible role model for our younger athletes,” Lill said. “She reaches out to her younger teammates and is always there to help them by helping them with footwork, or technique or just encouraging them.”
Olhava was the first person in the gym.
She would setup the nets, even though that was assigned to the junior varsity players.
“What a great example of what a leader should be,” Lill said.
Olhava's little sister Alessia doesn't have to look for a role model.
She is an eighth grader currently playing club volleyball.
“We are very excited to have another Olhava in our program,” Lill said. “Alessia is not a middle hitter like Gabri, but a setter.”
Olhava got to play against her sister during the summer camp.
“That was nice,” Gabrielle said. “We had a scrimmage in the Hersey gym with the eighth graders. Alessia loves playing volleyball.”
Just like Gabri, does.
When she continues the sport New Hampshire, the honor roll student will study occupational therapy.
“I really wanted to do something in physical therapy or special education,” she said. “They've always interested me so I felt occupational therapy was a perfect fit, the happy medium.”
Olhava and Stedman have been a perfect fit as setter and middle blocker the last three years on the varsity.
“It's going to be really weird not having her on the court with me,” Gabrielle said. “We connect so well together. It's funny but on that last match point (in regional final loss to Stevenson) when we knew it could be over, I thought about it being the last time Courtney would ever set me the ball. It was really hard, and emotional.
“I don't even have the words for how I feel about my career ending at Hersey. I'm definitely happy it's not the last time I will play volleyball but sad that it's the last time I'll wear the Hersey jersey and be on the floor with my teammates and coaches.”