October, 2023
By Anali Garcia and Fiorella Mora, Staff Reporters
On October 17 in the KIPP Austin Collegiate gym, KAC volleyball commemorated the efforts, strength, and accomplishments of the seniors of the class of 2024. Though the night ended with a loss on the scoreboard, 12th-graders Kendall Martin, Kendra Jaimes, Karen Reyna, and Nayeli Melchor experienced Senior Night as something unforgettable.
The night started with Cardinal cheerleaders giving the girls a warm welcome and cheering them on for their last home game. Then, before the game started, the team surprised the seniors one last time with memorable gifts.
When asked how it felt to be celebrated with their parents and in front of the large KAC crowd, Martin said, “It was nice having a teammate present flowers and a picture. It felt like a good way to wrap up the four years that we spent here.”
Jaimes was a little more shy, saying, “To be honest I don’t really like attention. It was all right. I would prefer a much smaller crowd but I was very sentimental when I had the game. It was bittersweet.”
Head coach Detosha Hurst explained what made the night so special. “I watched them grow up literally,” she said of the seniors. “I started with Kendall from eighth grade. I’ve known her since then. She was even the babysitter of my little boy for the first year that I was here.”
“But just individually,” she continued, “each one of them have done something special for me. Whether it’d be just breaking themselves to build a relationship with me or just their sheer effort, giving me 150% every single time they are around me. Every single time they’re on the floor, they give 110% to my program.”
Hurst ended by expressing her love for the senior girls and all of the commitment and dedication that they put into this team and hopes that all goes well for them. “Thank you,” she said.
But for senior Kendra Martin, the night wasn’t the end. The playoffs were still to come, and Martin said, “I would like a banner.”
The Cardinal Post 