Freeman signs with Kennesaw State
Hard work has paid off for Lady Mavs’ volleyball standout
The recipe for success according to Leah Freeman: Work. Work harder. Rest (a little). Work some more. Rinse. Repeat.
That may not be the exact recipe, because Freeman is a good person and she likes to have fun as much as the next person.
But Freeman, an Anderson County High School volleyball standout, decided early in her life she wanted to play Division I volleyball, and last Friday she made that come true.
Freeman signed with Kennesaw State University, located outside of Atlanta.
Freeman is driven.
“She was 14 or 15 and she said, ‘I’m going to play D-1 volleyball,” her father, Travis Freeman, said. “And she’s certainly worked hard to get here.”
And she is very, very smart.
“She is so intense, not only in games, but in practice,” Anderson County Head Volleyball Coach Jayme Smith said. “She always has questions. She always asks, ‘Why?’ and wants to fix it and correct it.
“She’s an outstanding student on and off the court in learning, not just the game of volleyball, but in all her academics, too.”
Smith said that Freeman will probably have an immediate impact with the Lady Owls.
“She just has a knowledge and understanding of the sport,” Smith said. “That’s one of her strengths. She understands everything that’s happening around her when she’s on the court.”
Freeman will major in broadcasting her father said. “That was one of the attractions to Kennesaw State. They place their broadcasting majors in a job during their senior year.”
Kennesaw State has other attractions as well.
“The coaching staff is amazing,” Leah Freeman said. “I’m excited to go down there and compete.”
“Competing,” has been a big part of Freeman’s volleyball existence. She said the best part of playing at Anderson County High School has been competing for a state title every year. “Especially my junior and senior years,” she said.
Freeman has achieved her goal of signing with a D-I program, but the work isn’t over.
“It’s not easy. It’s not for everyone,” she said. You have to want it. It has to be something you’re motivated for.
“Even on those days when you want to stay in bed and you want to sleep late you have to roll out and do the work.”
It’s not unusual for parents to get a little teary-eyed when their son/daughter signs a letter of intent. Travis and April Freeman were a little misty-eyed Friday when their daughter signed.
But when a school counselor, the softball coach (and Freeman will be on the diamond for the Lady Mavs this spring), and even the school’s principal have a moment or two of deep breaths and a bit of a quiver in their voices, you know they’re watching a goof person achieve a goal.
And being a good person may be the only thing Leah Freeman doesn’t need to work hard for.
