Northeast Oklahoma A&M will get not one, but two Republic Lady Tiger volleyball players next season. Libero Maddy Sherman has signed to play volleyball at NEO, alongside her best friend Haley Chastain, who signed there earlier.
Sherman says having Chastain with her in college will make a big difference because of the support system the two can offer one another, both in and out of the classroom.
“We’re not going to room together, because that would be terrible, but we’re probably going to be together a lot,” Sherman says.
Sherman was the Lady Tigers’ leader in digs in 2013, and she also led the team in service aces, with one of the best jump serves in the area.
“It’s really been a privilege coaching her over the last three years. She’s has been a huge part of our success,” says Republic coach Piper Wright. “She’s helped us through three district championships. She’s played a lot of back row for us, but she can go in just about anywhere. She’s just extremely athletic and can do just about anything.”
That versatility made an impression on Sherman’s future college coaches during one match at the district tournament.
“She was everywhere. During districts, we were really interested, and all of a sudden she gets a kill from the back row,” says NEO assistant Laken Walden. “(We) immediately turned to each other like, ‘She’s coming to NEO.’
“If our libero can get a kill from the back row, we’ll take her any day.”
Wright says one thing that stands out about Sherman is her ability to coach others, including teammates.
“At our little kid camps…she is an excellent coach herself, and she knows the game really well. It’s been really fun to watch her working with the younger kids,” says Wright. “She can explain things really well, and to see her take that on to our varsity team with some of our younger player, she’s got a great ability to explain things to those around her.”
Sherman says she hopes coaching is in her future.
“I work with kids, I cadet teach…I would love to coach a team,” she says. “I definitely see coaching in my future, because I want to pass what I know onto people. I’ve had some great coaches, and I would love to be able to do that for a kid, too.”