EDN ALL-ENERGY TEAM: Introducing the seven individuals that proved to be the best teammates

Dec. 10—Below is the first-ever Effingham Daily News All-Energy Team.

This team consists of players that may not start or get the notoriety that others do but show to be the best teammate and give the most energy each night.

ALLISON CZYZEWSKI (NORTH CLAY)

From head coach Megan Welty: "Aside from Allison's volleyball skills, she is extremely helpful and encouraging to those around her. She did everything in her power to be welcoming to the younger players, as well. Allison was always the first to offer a younger player a ride to or from summer workouts and practices during the season. On multiple occasions, Allison would be seen explaining a concept to another player or staying after practice to run extra drills with those who wanted more practice. Allison is also extremely helpful to the coaches by offering to help plan events as well as organize team-bonding experiences. Throughout the season, Allison positively influenced her teammates by saying kind words to lift their spirits or push them to continue playing. Allison is one of those players that any team would be lucky to have."

EMMA DETERS (TEUTOPOLIS)

From head coach Jim Dietz: "I've never heard her say a negative thing about a teammate. In practice, she is always encouraging. From the coaching side, Emma goes 100 percent with whatever she is asked to do and puts the team's interests ahead of her own."

AVERY MYERS (ST. ELMO-BROWNSTOWN)

From head coach Jeni Haslett: "Avery is a teammate's dream. When her team selected her for this, I wasn't surprised. She is genuine; her teammates and I could always rely on her for her enthusiasm and encouragement. Her energy radiates off of her; there were times when I knew she was more excited when one of her teammates did something good than when she did. Her energy is something I knew we could always count on to build off of; I have coached Avery for a long time, and she is one of the most selfless players I have had. You never hear her complain or fuss. I truly believe that being a good teammate is one of the best assets, and she has been a great example of that."

ELLEY BENNETT (NEWTON)

From head coach Jill Kistner: "Elley is a very high-energy athlete. She is a very good communicator on the court. As the libero, she does a great job leading the back row and helping the hitters know where to hit in the front row. She is the ultimate hype girl and has the biggest celebrations after points. When she comes to the bench, she also brings a lot of energy when she is out of the game. The team feeds off of her energy."

REAGAN ROBERTS (SOUTH CENTRAL)

From head coach Megan Murphree: "In my years of coaching, I have not often seen a player get as excited for her teammates as Reagan. She is her teammates' most enthusiastic supporter. Reagan may not have seen very much varsity court time this year, but her impact from the sidelines was instrumental to our success. I can't wait to see what Reagan does as an upperclassman."

SYDNEY RICHARDS (NEOGA)

From head coach Mary Hill: "From a teammates' perspective, Sydney Richards is always a positive energy. She gives a helping hand to those who needed a pick me up and can take care of her own business, no matter the situation. Always reading the game, Sydney constantly communicates with her teammates about where open holes are and what type of hit is needed. Overall, Sydney brings strong confidence to the team with constant hustle, hard work, and leadership.

ASHTON COLEMAN (CUMBERLAND)

From head coach Kylee Booth: "From a coach's perspective, Ashton's positivity was an asset to the team. She was involved both on and off the court at all times. She cheered, encouraged, coached, and helped her teammates in any way she could. Her attitude helped pick up struggling players and could even turn the tide of the game."

Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.