From being a hardworking student to a competitive and outgoing volleyball player, junior Cirrae Cuffy shines brightly on and off the court. Allowing her humble beginnings on her elementary school team to guide her through her high school volleyball career Cuffy now sits on the roster of the Lehigh Valley Division II club team.
As fourth grade year came around, Cuffy had no idea this would be the year she would find her passion for volleyball. After the team was short on girls, Cuffy was asked to join, and the rest was history. Throughout the years, Cuffy has made friends and connections with her teammates, something that she has valued throughout her time playing volleyball.
However, not only does she value her connections with her teammates, but she shares their competitiveness and hard work.
“Everyone works together. I like it [volleyball] because of the connections and playing with the girls because we all try and go for the same thing, and we all have the same passions,” Cuffy said. “Everybody knows how to work together and just win and try our best, acting like a whole team instead of individually.”
Senior Lauren Horvath played with Cuffy this season, and has since become close friends with her through volleyball. Horvath wasn’t the only one that has been impacted by Cuffy, though. It was evident that Horvath and all of Cuffy’s teammates had been impacted by her and her supportive nature.
“I think everyone on the team can say they have been impacted by Cirrae in a very positive way,” Horvath said. “She is a very outgoing player who can bring anyone out of a bad mood. Especially when playing a very mental sport like volleyball, Cirrae has become an outlet for everyone to talk to and look to when they need a pick-me-up.”
Horvath has personally been impacted by Cuffy and her helpful character. Cuffy stepped up this year to not only be the best player she can be, but the best teammate she can be as well.
“Being the only senior and a captain on the team, I felt a lot of pressure to fill the role that usually multiple seniors fill. Cirrae was one of the juniors that stepped up to become a leader on the court and was always willing to help me out whenever I needed it, or whenever I felt overwhelmed,” Horvath said.
While volleyball has taught Cuffy many important life lessons, time management has been the most valuable. Being a student athlete isn’t always easy, and one might find it hard to find that balance between school, sports, and home life. While still feeling that pressure from both sports and academics, Cuffy has found ways to continue being the best version of herself she can be, on and off the court.
When playing on the EHS girls volleyball team this year, Cuffy found out that she was chosen by her coaches to go onto a Lehigh Valley Division team. When Cuffy found out she was chosen for the Division II team, she was thrilled and surprised.
“I was surprised when I made it because there were a lot of girls that were good. Obviously I was good too, but it’s just fun because it’s the coaches that vote,” Cuffy said. “So it was fun that they thought that I would have been good enough to make that team.”
Cuffy is more than ready for next season, prepared to prove all over again why she was chosen for the Division II team.
