Braden inks scholarship with The University of the Cumberlands
Flanked by her parents, Jayce Braden signs a letter on intent to play volleyball at The University of the Cumberlands.
There is the play, the execution of the game itself.
There is the work ethic, the weightlifting sessions, the camps, the always-striving-to- be-better.
Those things will be missed next year by the Anderson County High School volleyball team when Jayce Braden leaves.
Braden’s departure next year for the University of the Cumberlands will bring the loss of something else from the ACHS volleyball squad:
Jayce Braden’s “spark.”
It’s not something that will appear on any stat sheet, nor is it something an opposing team can make a plan for or defend against.
But it’s part of Jayce Braden, and therefore part of her game.
Braden signed a letter of intent to play for the University of the Cumberlands in December. Yes, there were accolades about her play on the court. But there were just as many accolades for her participation in the game when she wasn’t in the action.
She made it fun.
“That’s her attitude,” Lady Mav Assistant Volleyball Coach Dail Cantrell said. “Be serious. Get the job done. But have fun.”
The coaching staff watched Braden transform from “a bundle of nerves” her freshman year into a leader on and (maybe more importantly) off the court.
“You’re fun to watch,” Lady Mav Head Coach Jayme Smith told Braden.
She said Braden gets people fired up, gets them involved emotionally in what’s happening on the court, and that characteristic carries over from the court to the classroom.
“These people want to be around you,” she said.
Braden said The University of the Cumberlands is a perfect fit for her. It’s not too big, not too small, and the facilities are top notch.
“I really like the school,” she said. “When I visited, I just felt like I belonged there.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at Anderson County (High School). We played for state championships. I’ve made friends for life here.”
Braden hasn’t decided on a major yet.
Her mother, Robin, said that having her daughter close to home will mean some day trips to Kentucky next year, and she’s happy with Jayce’s decision.
“It is a big decision, but she’s happy with it and I’m happy for her,” her mother said.
“She works hard in the off season. She hits the gym, hits the weights,” she said. “And she has made herself a presence in the classroom.
“She definitely has the desire.”
And Jayce Braden has that intangible …
Jayce Braden has that spark.