It’s match point Fair Grove with the Eagles looking to return to the volleyball final four in back-to-back seasons. It is senior Brooke Daniels who delivers the kill to win it.
“They call her “Alpha” for a reason…so it was just fitting that she ended that right there,” said Fair Grove Head Volleyball Coach Tonya Peck.
“I was just like okay call for the ball and I did and [Shea Skouby] gave it to me,” Daniels said. “And we just got that chemistry thank goodness.”
“Alpha” aka Brooke is the last person to take any credit for her team’s success.
“She is not ever thinking about Brooke Daniels, she is thinking about the person next to her on her team,” Peck said.
“It’s not just me, it’s our team it truly is and our coaches,” Daniels said. “We are so fortunate to have the group of girls that we have.”
But the girl is an absolute stud.
“She’s a 4-time all-state athlete in four different sports,” Peck said. “And she is a major contributor in all of them. And she runs the show.”
Volleyball, softball, basketball and track: Advancing to state in every single one of them.
“Basketball is my favorite, but I love them all, I really do,” Daniels said.
Basketball is the sport that started it all for the senior girls who helped build Fair Grove into a powerhouse.
“We’ve been together since tiny tiny diaper age,” Daniels said. “We just do everything together so that translating over to sports I think has helped a lot.”
Brooke is a friend. A teammate. A stud on the court, track or diamond. But she is also the first person to make sure her teammates have a ride to practice or a number one fan as well.
“When we leave they are the ones filling our shoes,” Daniels said. “So, having those relationships…just being able to when I graduate come back and cheering them on because they are so close to me, it’s going to mean a lot.”
The quarterfinal game was the last time Brooke played volleyball on her home court.
“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Daniels said. “Most of us have gone here our whole lives. So being the last time playing in here, it’s kind of hard.”
But “Alpha” and her Eagles haven’t completely closed their volleyball chapter yet. They have a chance to write and repeat a pretty great ending at the Final Four.
