Though Heather Lichti is easily recognized on campus as the senior class homecoming princess and a worship team and choir member, her prowess in volleyball has also made its mark in her life.

Lichti, an only child, was motivated by her father, Roger Lichti, to join the volleyball team at 14. He assured her the game would be a lot of fun to play, and she could be good at it.

“I started playing volleyball when I was a freshman,” Lichti said. “I was talking to my dad at the end of 8th grade about volleyball and decided to go out for the team. It was really difficult learning a new sport especially since all the other girls had played before.”

Roger encouraged her confidence to play by always telling her “you can do anything; it is just a matter of trying.” Lichti says his continual support has motivated her perseverence through both athletics and academics.

“A big motivation in the game is just remembering to use the abilities God has given me to my full potential,” Lichti said. “Our team has devotionals before every game which help me to remember to play for God and apply his word to my actions on and off the court. My goal is for our team to break the cliche mold of what a Christian school is supposed to be and truly allow the other team to see God’s love through us.”

According to teammate Jenn Boudreau, Lichti’s perseverance makes her a strong contender on the court.

“Heather’s greatest characteristic is her joy and strong spirit,” Boudreau said. “If she makes a mistake, like if she shanks a ball served to her, she gets this intense look on her face and challenges the server to try and ace her again. She cannot be daunted, and is always willing to try again.”

Lichti considers her “unmistakable” joy a gift from the Holy Spirit and says she tries to make God a priority.

“I set aside a time every morning to spend with God,” Lichti said. “One of my priorities is to be aware of his presence in every aspect whether that’s at school or in athletics. Family is also very important to me. I make time to spend with them as well despite my busy schedule.”

In addition to helping her athleticism, practicing with the team has also influenced Lichti’s social and spiritual life.

“To improve on my game during practice, I often ask my coach or teammates what I need to improve on,” Lichti said. “Although our team is diverse in age, we are still very unified. I am able to spend time with girls on my volleyball team outside of the gym. I have classes with some of them and I have also become very close others through sports like soccer.

“I love the enthusiasm of the crowd at home games. When we have a gym full of fans we can feed off of their energy. It is much more fun to play for people who love and support us. We also want to protect the title of our school which gives us motivation on our home court.”

Lichti says low moments on the team can be transformed into positive ones.

“My most embarrassing moment on the court was over the summer when I was going up for a hit at the net and I fell on the ground,” Lichti said. “We all started laughing! However, I took that as an opportunity to grow closer to my teammates instead of letting my embarrassment affect the way I played.”

Despite the gaff, her teammates say Lichti’s leadership often goes under the radar.

“Heather is more of a quiet leader in the sense she leads by supporting other leaders and speaking up when she needs to,” Boudreau said. “She is also a great listener which benefits our team greatly.”

After four years on the team, Lichti says she has continued to improve.

“Freshman year was all about learning a new sport, but this year is about perfecting the skills that I already have,” Lichti said. “Our team goal for this year is to get our name on a banner in the gym by getting first in league and in our division. However, my personal goal is to get the most out of the year by always giving my all in every practice and game.”

For more information, read the volleyball sport shorts or the Sept. 9 article, Tatum combines family, volleyball.