Taylor Roberts named top volleyball player
The Coosa High School senior highlights the RN-T All-Area Volleyball Team.
Their ultimate goal set from the start of the season, the Coosa Lady Eagles took a business-like approach to every point on the way to a Class AA volleyball state championship.
But they also made sure to inject some fun into it by keeping a loose vibe and a familial bond that took over when the final whistle blew.
For all of these traits, a floor manager was needed who could maintain composure and focus when a match was on the line as well as lead the cheers for a point well played.
That role fell to Taylor Roberts this season, and she performed it well, both on the court and in the record books, leading to her being named the 2017 Rome News-Tribune Player of the Year
The 6-foot-1 middle blocker wrapped up her senior season as one of the most decorated players in Coosa volleyball history.
She was not only named the Area 3-AA Player of the Year, but also the Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association Class AA Player of the Year, the first public school player to be awarded the honor.
Roberts led the team with 16 kills in the state championship match against St. Vincent’s Academy and also had three blocks and nine digs.
“I can honestly say that she had a huge part in leading the team to the AA State Championship this season, as she is one of those leaders who are so easy to follow,” Coosa coach Nic Hann said earlier this season.
“The rest of the team looks up to her because she leads by example.”
Roberts only improved in every single category for her final turn with the Lady Eagles, including breaking her own records for most kills and blocks in a single season in Coosa history with 566 and 174, respectively.
She also had 137 aces and 306 digs, solidifying her status as one of the top all-around players in the state. Yet she commented that she still needs to improve after signing to play Division II at Emmanuel College last month. But she also said her senior season only amplified her love of volleyball.
Roberts leads a contingent of five total Coosa players on this year’s RN-T All-Area first team, which includes three Lady Eagles who are only sophomores.
“Getting to play with these girls is the most amazing feeling. They are all so friendly and we’ve become a family. Watching them grow up on the court and get better does nothing but make me feel more confident about the future of the team,” Roberts said.
“She has poured her heart and soul into this program over the last four years, and she has made an impact on so many players and coaches along the way,” Hann said. “I am so thankful for what Taylor has done for this team.”