Academy of Notre Dame middle blocker Allison Hendrick is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week

Q: What attracted you to the middle blocker position? What do you think are the most important attributes of a middle blocker?

A: I played outside hitter until ninth grade.  That year the middle hitter got hurt and I moved into that position. I think the most important attribute of this position is  to protect the passers.

Q: As a senior captain, you’ve been lauded by Coach Sheridan for your leadership ability with a young team that lost seven seniors to graduation last spring. How do you view your leadership role? How do you feel you can best display leadership?

A: I view this role is to be a nurturer. As captain, we believe in and encourage the younger players and build their confidence because it is a young team. It is early in the season and the team has developed a very friendly relationship. There are three seniors on the team and we all want the entire to team to have fun, which will make them play harder for each other. This is one of the most cohesive teams I have ever played on.

Q: You’ve posted a kill percentage of .463 during your team’s recent four-game winning streak. What do you attribute your success in this area to?

A: I attribute this to my drive to win.  I love the game and I love winning even more.

Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What part of your game are you currently working on the most currently?

A: The strongest part of my game is hitting. It is my favorite. I am working on blocking because I am not as strong at it. Middle blocker requires you to take on the role to “protect” your teammates and that is very important to me.

Q: What sparked your initial interest in volleyball? Who have been your top volleyball mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?

A: I started playing volleyball in fifth grade because there weren’t enough girls to fill the team. Once I started playing I loved it. I would say my volleyball mentors are Bill and Brenda Collins. I started playing on their club team when I was 10 years old after my first CYO season and played for them for seven years during club as well as summer camps. They also coached me individually in eighth grade and 10th grade. I believe they taught me almost everything I know about the sport.

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation on the day of a game.

A: I try to watch the other team warm up for about five minutes. Then the last few minutes I bring the team in and we talk about what we watched and the best way to play our game.

Q: Do you participate in any other extracurricular activities at Academy of Notre Dame?

A: I am editor of the school yearbook.

Fun facts – Allison Hendrick

Favorite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy.

Favorite movie: The Blind Side.

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant.

Favorite team: Notre Dame volleyball.

Favorite place to visit: The beach.

Favorite pre-game meal: Bagel breakfast with the team.

Favorite color: Blue.

Uniform number: “My uniform number at school is 16. My club number is 10. I chose this number because it was the only one left, I am usually No. 10 but I stuck with 16 my high school career.”

Person I most admire: “I admire my parents the most. In all the years I have been playing volleyball they are always there to support me. They give me confidence and are my biggest cheerleaders!”

Birth date: April 9, 1999, in Springfield, PA.

Family members: Lori Hendrick (mother), Michael Hendrick (father), Ryan Hendrick (brother), Conner Hendrick (nephew).

(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)