Volleyball has opened a plethora of doors for Hannah Freeman
Senior moments in 2020
HANNAH FREEMAN
“I grew up around AC,” she said. “My dad’s been around there for as long as I can remember. I grew up around all the sports. I would say I’m one of the biggest diehard AC fans. What most people don’t get to see is the family that we have with the high school.
“My volleyball team is my closest friends. The school itself is so invested in us students. I’ve had past coaches and administrators come down and watch us for the state tournament. I’ve got plenty of hugs and congratulations for being All-State. When I had my injury, they all kept up with me. Just the energy at football games, and just walking down the hallway and having teachers stop and ask how your day is. It’s just my favorite thing about this school.”
Freeman had a season-ending injury earlier this year that, according to her, had been hard to deal with, but would have been even harder without her faith.
“The injury was very difficult,” she said. “Definitely not something you want to go through your senior year when your school and county are counting on you. It wasn’t something we expected. The only way I’ve dealt with it was giving all of my troubles and struggles to God and letting my faith take over. I knew that even though it’s not what I wanted, it’s something God had in store for me and that he’ll make something good from it.
“Some people might think it’s just a bad thing, but if it wasn’t for God and my family and my teammates, I don’t think I would have gotten through it so easily,” Freeman said. “There were nights where I really struggled with it, but I just said, ‘OK God, this is what you want, so let’s see where you take me with it.’ And now I get to play for two more years.”
Freeman started playing volleyball in middle school and said it’s truly changed her as a person.
“I transferred in fifth grade,” she said. “I was zoned to play in Lake City and transferred to Norris Middle. I was brought up in softball and basketball and played softball for a long time. My mom and my aunt both played volleyball in high school and told me to try out. As a nervous sixth-grader, I was going to a new school, and I didn’t know anyone. My friend pushed me to try out, and I said I would only try out if my cousin tried out with me. It was something new and I fell in love with it.
“It has helped me to grow so much. Growing up, I was always told that I had leadership ability, but volleyball has really opened me up and got me out of my comfort zone. Usually I’m not one to talk or be at the front of crowds, but leading in volleyball has helped me be a leader outside of it, too. It brought me my best friends, both players and coaches. Just the leadership and the life lessons.”
Apart from the life lessons, Freeman said it has brought her so many of her best friends that she expects to be in her life for many, many years.
“My biggest thing is my best friends,” she said. “People I’ll know for years. Morgan McMurray, the one going to play at Triveca, she’s been my ride or die since junior year. We’ve gotten really, really close. If it weren’t for volleyball, I’m not sure how we would have met. I grew up with her from sixth grade on. One of my coaches, Randy Sewell, taught me many, many life lessons. She’s been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She’s taught me spiritual lessons too, since we’re both Christians. Most of my girls are my best friends, too but the people who have really left an impact on me are Morgan and Randy.
“My team and my coaches have taught me so much as an individual and a player,” she said. “I have to thank them for being my biggest supporters. I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it weren’t for them pushing me and helping me be a leader, because you can’t be a leader without people that follow you. I hope I’ve left that impact on them. Even through everything that’s happened this year, I think they’ve been my biggest supporters.”
COVID-19 affected the team, like it has affected everyone this year.
“We start our season in the summer with workouts and three-hour practices, and starting out, our coaches told us that they didn’t know what the season would hold for us,” Freeman said. “It was difficult because we knew this would be our year to win it. There was always some fear around not getting to play. Usually we have a team camp and team bonding and stay in the dorms, but we didn’t get to do that this year. We’re a celebratory team and it was hard not getting to sit next to your team shoulder to shoulder. We were very blessed to get to finish our season. I’m really thankful for that.”
Freeman has signed with Walters State Community College in Morristown.
“I plan to transfer and go back into the recruiting process to hopefully play my junior and senior years at another college,” she said. “That’s my long-term goal right now.”
Freeman said she originally wanted to study nursing, but after taking part in the Peer Buddy program at Anderson County, she’s decided to become a special-education teacher instead. Freeman said her teachers have been a big influence.
“I originally wanted to be in the nursing field so I took all the nursing classes with Emily Yaden,” Freeman said. “She is one of my favorite teachers there. She works for the ACCTC and is really open. She doesn’t hide things from you. If you ask her a question, she’ll tell you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it. I’ve decided now to switch career paths to special ed. Mr. Alpers was my peer buddy mentor and he’s been my second favorite. ... Mr. Alpers has led me to change my career path.”