Liv Odvody is an experienced senior player on the varsity team this year. She has been playing for nine years and has had a great season so far this year. She brings lots of energy and skill to the team and is a great player all around.
Odvody definitely has lots of love for volleyball, she says volleyball has given her lots of great things in life. To be able to play for nine years athletes must have a strong passion for their sport and this is no different with Odvody.
“I keep playing because volleyball is something that has brought me so much joy, love, friendships, etc. I love being a part of a team and it is something in my life I can be passionate about,” Odvody said.
Over her many years of experience Odvody has had to adapt and get better to become the best player she can be. Coach Andrew Wehrli has been there to help her grow her game for several years now, he is proud of the player she has become.
“I’ve been working with Odvody since she was an eighth grader. It has really been neat to see how her game has developed. She is putting countless hours working on her transition game and ability to dynamically attack the ball. It’s really come together over the last two years,” Wehrli said. “One of the things I’ve really appreciated about Odvody over the last year is how committed and intentional she’s been about getting into the weight room. I believe that component has had the largest impact on her game over the last year.”
From a game standpoint, Odvody has many skills she brings on the court. She is able to recognize her strengths but also her weaknesses which makes her an even stronger player overall.
“I think my strengths are having high energy and hitting slides. My weaknesses are sometimes not being able to close the block and not getting up on the set dump when I’m supposed to,” Odvody said.
Coach Wehrli had similar things to say when asked about her strengths as a player. He also talked about what great things she can bring to the table as a teammate.
“Odvody brings great energy and enthusiasm to our team. She is a great teammate and celebrates other people’s success more than her own. She’s a hard worker and has really developed her ability to terminate on a slide this last season. I really love the way she plays the game,” Wehrli said.
Odvody has had a great experience playing each year for the high school team. Not only has she found ways to improve and work on her game, but she has been able to form many strong relationships with her teammates over the years.
“My favorite part about playing volleyball at Westside is our work ethic and my team. During the season we all truly become a family, and it makes us all just work even harder for each other. I have formed many close friendships through volleyball. There are many girls I’ve played with that have impacted my life tremendously. Most of my best friends were people I met through or because of volleyball.” Odvody said.
Wehrli has had such a great experience working with Liv over the years. He appreciates the player she has become and the leadership she is showing this year as a senior. He has many great memories with her and several things he will miss about her after this season.
“I’m gonna miss how lighthearted and fun Liv is. She’s been a spark plug for our team. She brings high positive energy and people feed off of that.” Wehrli said. “She also has the uncanny ability to lose just about any item she owns. Here’s an example. On the way to the bus last night she managed to drop her water bottle down the sewer drain outside the bus. I handed out state shirts last year after practice and she lost hers within one hour of me handing them out! These things used to drive me a little crazy but now I just laugh at them.”
Odvody has been loving her senior year so far. It will definitely be tough to move on from this team after her senior season but she is enjoying it while it lasts.
“I have had the best senior year! I’ve enjoyed every moment so far. All the seniors lead in their own way, so I’ve loved being an energizer and someone people look up to when they need a confidence boost or support,” Odvody said.
You can see Odvody and the rest of the team will wrap up their season soon in the state tournament.
