The duel sport athlete, University of Sioux Falls commit and six foot hitter, Tatum Godinez, is ready to take her senior season head on. Godinez has become a vital piece to Westside volleyball and has shown herself as a leader, and with a team loaded with potential she hopes to help bring the team home their first state championship. 

Unlike a lot of athletes at her level, Godinez has only been playing volleyball since she was 14-years-old in her church team. Godinez has played numerous sports in her lifetime including gymnastics for nine years but she never thought that Volleyball was in the cards for her until a few years ago.

“My mom finally pulled me out of gymnastics and put me on my church volleyball team and I just really didn’t want to go,” Godinez said. “I was literally crying going in but then didn’t want to leave.” 

Head Coach Andrew Wehrli sees an abundance of talent in Tatum. Going into University of Sioux falls there are lots of opportunities waiting for her. 

“Tatum started later than a lot of other players did, and because of that her potential has not been reached and it’ll be fun to see where she goes as a player,” Wehrli said.  

Looking farther down the road, Godinez is in her last season at westside and is looking to make the best of it for her and her teammates, and with a new coach there are new responsibilities that Godinez is more than ready to take on.  

“We have Talked about leaders vs. Managers and I think I am definitely a leader for this team,” she said. 

Godinez will spend her first and last year with coach Wehrli, who has already brought this program far, for godinez and the team it has been a seamless transition and a positive one at that” 

“Andrew has a ton of experience that will really build a dynasty,” she said.

Godinez is ready to see where this season takes her and is preparing mentally and physically for her next four years at University of Sioux Falls where she is committed to play volleyball and run track. 

“Going into college I want to have better mental toughness,” Godinez said. “Andrew always tells us about the athletes that go far are the ones who are mentally tough.” 

Godinez has been part of the westside community since kindergarten and has had a highly successful four years of volleyball with much more to come. As she prioritizes herself to be a leader on the team she is set on bringing home a state championship at the end of the season. 

“Westside has no reason to not be the best volleyball team in the state.”