Girls volleyball: Palatine's Chaplinsky charges ahead

Cassie Chaplinsky knows talent.

And she saw it right in her own home.

While playing for the Palatine girls volleyball team a few years ago, Cassie mentioned to head coach Dan Gavin that she had a younger sister, Claire, playing the sport.

"Cassie joked that her sister in junior high was already better than she was as a junior high player," Gavin said. "While that may have been a bit of hyperbole, it was pretty obvious from the moment that Claire walked into our gym as a freshman that she had the talent and potential to be a special player for us."

The University of Rhode Island women's volleyball coaching staff feels the same way.

Claire Chaplinsky has made a verbal commitment to play for the Division I Rams.

But first, Claire and her Pirates have some business to take care of in high school.

The Pirates are the defending Mid-Suburban League West champs and they would like to retain that title.

"I'm super excited for my final season," Claire said. "The majority of the team from last year is returning with a few additions. Several of us have been playing together since junior high and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish during our final season together."

Also back for her final season is another Division I recruit. Libero Alyssa Kronberg is committed to the University of Memphis.

"We have been working hard in practice to get ready for our first matches," Chaplinsky said. "And we are all eager to see what happens this year. I think I'm most looking forward to coming together with this group and giving it our all."

Chaplinsky has been giving it her all for four years on the varsity team.

"She was a little raw, as almost all freshman are, but it was amazing to watch how quickly she picked up on things," Gavin said. "By the end of the year, she was already getting some varsity reps and four years later, she has turned herself into one of the best players in the state."

Chaplinsky piled up 245 kills last fall along with 153 digs, 27 blocks and 23 aces.

"Obviously, Claire has the size and athleticism but I think what stands out most to me is her passion for the game," Gavin added. "I don't know that I have ever seen a kid play the game with as much joy and enthusiasm."

Her sister gets a lot of credit for that passion.

"My interest in the sport was inspired by my sister, Cassie, who is four years older and was already playing volleyball at the time I started," said Claire who first started playing volleyball in fifth grade.

She participated in a few camps and played in a league at Falcon Park.

Claire made the seventh grade team at Walter Sundling Jr. High, and that same year decided to try competitive volleyball at the Rolling Thunder Volleyball Club.

"It's really fun to watch her and I think that passion has driven her," Gavin said. "When most kids are sleeping or playing video games, Claire is playing volleyball or working to become a better athlete. She is the kid who walks into a Saturday morning practice drenched in sweat because she's already put in an hour or two at the gym."

Claire had spent many hours on soccer fields before she ever spiked a volleyball.

She played soccer for nine years before switching to become a full-time volleyball player.

"It wasn't that I didn't love volleyball right away, it was more of a struggle to let go of soccer after spending so much time and energy into becoming skilled in one sport already," she said. "But after playing both club soccer and club volleyball during the same year in seventh grade, I realized how much more I enjoyed playing volleyball."

In her first club volleyball season, Claire was placed on the second team for her age group. In soccer, she was on the top team for Celtic Soccer Club.

"But I had an immediate passion for volleyball," she said. "I loved the fast pace of the game and how no 2 points are ever exactly the same."

Chaplinsky made it a point to keep working hard at volleyball.

"I always thought it would be awesome to play at the Division I level so I had that as a goal," she said. "But I didn't reject the idea of competing at the Division II or III level. I just wasn't sure at what level I would be able to compete until my freshman or sophomore year in high school."

Gavin saw the steady progress that made her a D-I prospect.

"She has really worked to become a well-rounded, versatile player and we plan to use her as such this year," he said. " She's a force offensively but has gotten to the point where we can run her from any position on the court."

That allows Gavin the flexibility to move other people around and exploit matchups he feels are in the Pirates' favor.

"Defensively, Claire's a terrific blocker," Gavin added. "And her size and quickness enable her to cover a lot of ground in the backcourt. Her serve receive has really come on as well. She's the total package."

To reach this level, Chaplinsky gives credit to many people.

"There are multiple people in my life who have helped me get to where I am today," she said. "My parents have always been my biggest supporters with everything I do and have pushed me to be the best version of myself I can be, on and off the court. And Cassie, whose footsteps I followed, and was my first pepper partner.

"Lastly, all my coaches and teammates throughout the years (Mr. Janosch at Sundling Jr. High, Coach Gavin at Palatine and other coaches at Rolling Thunder. And especially my club coach for three years and counting, Spencer Kaszuba. Spencer has done so much not just for me, but everyone else he has coached."

"He works tirelessly to help make athletes as successful as possible without any complaints," Claire said. "I have known Spencer for a very long time and if I had to pick one person who has made a real difference in who I am as a volleyball player, it would be Spencer."

While playing volleyball at Rhode Island, Chaplinsky plans to study to become a physical therapist. Her undergraduate degree will most likely be in kinesiology, which happens to be one of the largest programs at Rhode Island.

"My interest in physical therapy stems from me being an athlete where injuries are a part of sports and I have spent my fair share of time at the physical therapist," she said. "I like the idea of helping people get better without having to deal with all the blood and guts."

Chaplinsky said she was primarily sold on the college by its strong academic and volleyball programs.

"One thing that is unique about the volleyball program, and what I think is pretty special, is that none of the girls are from the area," she said. "A lot of them live farther from the school than I. So all of the girls know what freshmen are going through because they have been through it themselves."

Chaplinsky certainly qualifies as a role model for incoming freshman to Palatine's program.

"I can't say enough about Claire," Gavin said. " I think anyone who walks into the gym could almost immediately identify her as a terrific volleyball player.

"But much more importantly, she's a terrific person. She's hard working, humble, high-character and she is a great leader for the younger kids in the program. She comes from a wonderful family and is really just a pleasure to coach. Even if she wasn't the volleyball player she is, I would happily take a team full of Claires any season."