The senior setter and hitter leads the Pioneers girls volleyball team (off to a 5-1 start) in kills and aces, is second in digs and third in blocks. She set the school’s single season record for kills as a sophomore, and is committed to playing volleyball for Coker University next fall.
Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the past off-season?
A: During the off season I worked on my serving consistency, my explosiveness for setting and hitting, but I mainly focused on improving my defense.
Q: What did setting that Conestoga’s record for volleyball kills as a sophomore mean to you, and what was the biggest key to your proficiency in kills?
A: Setting the single season kill record was a really big deal for me because it gave me confidence in myself and it showed me that all the work I had been putting in was paying off.
Q: You suffered a broken leg and were out of action last fall. What was the biggest challenge you faced in your injury rehab, and how did you meet that challenge?
A: The biggest challenge for me was having to learn to be patient with the recovery — I was very eager to start playing again but I knew if I started to early that I could risk re-injuring myself. The way I met that challenge was doing everything I could to get myself better, I worked hard in physical therapy, and as soon as I was cleared I was in the gym almost every day until I was back to 100 percent.
Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 30 – is there a reason you chose that number, does it have any significance to you?
A: My freshman year we all selected our jerseys by seniority. One of the sophomores had picked the jersey number that I had previously worn for club volleyball and 30 was the only number left so I really had no choice. I eventually ended up really loving the number and the way it felt when I wore it and when I played so I ended up sticking with it.
Q: What has been your favorite experience as a Conestoga volleyball player?
A: My favorite experience as a Conestoga volleyball player definitely has to be our recent win (3-0 on Aug. 29) against Villa Maria Academy, it was one of the games I know I will remember forever. It was such a great match, it was intense and so much fun and it was the first time in Stoga history that we had beaten them and it just really meant a lot to me, my team, and coach (Diana) Felker.
Q: You’ve played multiple positions for Conestoga. What is your favorite position and why?
A: Setting is my favorite position but hitting is a very close second. I love setting because you get to be in control of the court and the ball, you touch the ball almost every single point and you get a little bit of everything with setting. You get to play defense in the back row but you also get to block and sometimes attack in the front row.
Q: What sparked your original interest in volleyball?
A: When I first started playing volleyball I had just quit doing gymnastics (I was a gymnast for 10 years) and I had gotten too tall for the equipment and kept getting injured. I tried field hockey and wasn’t a huge fan, so my mom signed me up for Kahoots Volleyball summer camp, the camp that Coach Felker runs out of Conestoga’s volleyball program for younger kids, I did the camp and I absolutely fell in love with the sport.
Q: Can you briefly describe your volleyball career (club teams) outside of Conestoga?
A: I tried out for a small club team in the area called Highline and I played for them for two years before I decided that I wanted to take my volleyball career to a higher level. I tried out for a large club called Synergy and I made their 15 National 1s team. I’ve been on their National team for three years now. This upcoming club season will be my last and I will continue to play for Synergy on their 18 National 1s team.
Q: Who have been your biggest volleyball mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: My biggest mentor in volleyball is definitely coach Felker. She has taught me how to stay intense and how to be the best volleyball player I can be. She gives me confidence in myself and my abilities. She encourages me to be aggressive, smart and confident on the court and I definitely wouldn’t be the volleyball player I am today if it weren’t for her.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation on the day of a game.
A: My pre-game routine consists of eating a good breakfast and lunch, drinking a lot of water, and mostly keeping a good headspace. I listen to music and stay positive and excited for the game throughout the day.
Q: What is your favorite academic course at Conestoga? What do you plan to major in at Coker University? Is there a particular career field that interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite course at Conestoga is Anatomy and Physiology, I took it my sophomore year and I loved it, I want to major in biology at Coker and I eventually want to use my Biology degree to become a zoologist or an exotic veterinarian.
Fun facts – Cheyenne Bird
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird.
Favorite author: R.L. Stine.
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds or Greys Anatomy.
Favorite movie: A Bronx Tale.
Favorite athlete: Logan Eggleston or Zoe Fleck.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Black Dog by Led Zeppelin or Keep Their Heads Ringin’ by Dr.Dre.
Favorite team: Texas Longhorns volleyball.
Favorite place to visit: South Carolina.
Favorite pre-game meal: A big Chipotle burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side.
Person you most admire, and why: “My mom because she does a lot for me and she is the person who I look up to when it comes to perseverance and facing adversity. She always tells me to “work hard and do your best” every day before school and practice and I really would be the person I am today if it weren’t for her.”
Family members: parents Tim Bird and Melissa Johnson, stepfather Alex Johnson, stepmother Christa Bird, younger siblings Alex Johnson, Jacqueline Bird, Lucille Bird and Beau Johnson.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
To view a gallery of the previous Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week click here