College Commits: Kailey Kenney

Photo by Roberta Pratt

Izzy Pack

Kailey Kenney, currently a senior at Hamilton and has been playing volleyball for 8 years. She recently committed to playing college volleyball at Concordia University. 

Kenney’s teammate, senior Eva Finnessy, says about her, “Kailey never fails to bring energy and her presence always has a positive effect on others around her. I was lucky enough to play with Kailey throughout my Jr. Charger years and high school.”

Her current high school coach, Traci Buhr, also says about Kenney, “Kailey has been a 3 year varsity player and has just recently committed to Concordia University. She has a wicked arm swing, can jump out of the gym and plays with so much joy.  The smile Kailey has when she plays is infectious and I believe she has her best volleyball ahead of her and Concordia is lucky to have her join them.”

Read more to hear from Kenney:

How long have you been playing?

I have been playing since 4th grade.

What is your favorite memory from volleyball?

My favorite memory from volleyball is when we played DSHA my junior year; it felt like we won even though we lost by 2 in the 5th set.

What do you think is your favorite/best volleyball goal you've accomplished? 

My favorite and best accomplishment was making varsity my sophomore year; I was ecstatic about it.

What will you miss most about playing for Hamilton?

I will miss the girls I play with. I love every single one of them, and it has truly felt like a family.

How has volleyball impacted your life?

It has really impacted me positively. When things are going bad in my life, I can always go back to volleyball and use it as an escape. 

What is one lesson you've learned from volleyball? 

It's not all about skill; it's about attitude as well. If one person on the court slips, so will the rest. It's important to bring a great positive attitude onto the court no matter how hard that gets.

What was the recruitment process like for you?

It went pretty smoothly. I had a few places to choose from but I went to Concordia and ended up falling in love with the campus. I had never felt more welcomed by the girls there. I immediately knew that was where I wanted to go so I put in the work and made my hopes come true. I spent lots of time going to open gyms and talking to the coaches and eventually got the chance to commit!

What is one thing that a coach has told you that you will carry into playing in college? 

One thing a coach has told me is to never settle for less, always keep striving to reach your goals, and you will make it happen. I really loved this because even when things get hard and when I feel like giving up I remember that saying. It helps me keep pushing every time things get hard.

What advice do you have for younger players? 

Some advice I would say is to never give up, put in hard work, and you can pursue anything you want. Dreams will come true; the only thing that can stop you is yourself.

What are you most excited about next year playing for the Concordia Falcons ?

First, I'm so excited to get to know everyone better and create lifelong friendships with them. Secondly, I’m super excited to play on a team that has so much talent and can reach very high goals. I know it's going to be a great season next year.

Is there anyone you’d like to give a positive shoutout to who has been instrumental in your journey?

I’d like to thank all the coaches at Concordia for helping me make this possible.

I’d like my parents for supporting me through this process.

I’d like to thank all my previous coaches especially Doc, Coach Megan, and Coach Joe for all your support, positive impacts, and always pushing me to do my best.