Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School volleyball player Rachel Harwood is the Region MVP award winner.Staff Photo by Katie WardLakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School volleyball player Rachel Harwood is the Region MVP award winner.Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School volleyball player Rachel Harwood didn’t just end the season in first place with her team, she earned a sort of first-place finish for herself as well.
Harwood was selected as a 2015 Region Most Valuable Player.
“I was blessed and honored to receive the Most Valuable Player for volleyball,” the 11th-grader said. “I got MVP for the region, All-State volleyball player and Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps too. I could not have done it without my setters, my coaches, my parents and God’s help.”
Harwood began at Lakeview Middle, playing volleyball for the last six seasons. While she plays various positions, she prefers to be outside hitter or middle hitter.
“I like hitting in volleyball. I like to spike,” she said. At 5-foot-9, she added, ” I’m actually short for a volleyball player. The average collegiate volleyball player is 6-foot-2. My volleyball coach pushes me to be the best I can be.”
LFO’s volleyball team finished first in region for the fall 2015 season.
“Volleyball is a team sport and we win or lose together,” said Harwood. “And we give the glory to God praying before and after games within our own team or with the opposing team as well.”
Email Katie Ward at kward@timesfreepress.com.