Sports run in the family for Hays High junior volleyball player Ryann Torres.
Her father, Javier, who currently works as the head basketball coach at Lockhart High, provided a big role in Torres entering athletics.
But it is her mother, Dorie Luera, who Torres credits the most for her passion for sports.
It’s that passion that has helped Torres become one of the key returners on a Rebel volleyball team vying for a trip to the postseason in 2018.
“Our goal is to be district champions. We talked as a team and came up with a lot of goals as a team. District champions was one of them.”
–Ryann Torres, Hays High volleyball player
“We have a lot in common, and she keeps my head straight,” Torres said about her mother. “She tells me to keep working hard and I’ll get there.”
Torres, who enters her junior season, returns as the team’s main setter. During the 2017 campaign, Torres led the Rebels with 847 assists and was in charge of making sure she put her teammates in a position to succeed. Torres also contributed 48 aces from the serving line, which tied for second on the team and finished off the season with 203 kills offensively.
It is not just on the offensive that Torres shines, however. Ryann amassed 297 digs and 37 total blocks, 24 of which were solo. She displayed the ability to be an all-around player during her sophomore campaign.
But for Torres, dedication to the team mentality goes far beyond her own personal stats.
“Our bond got stronger throughout the season. (Head Coach Stephanie Coates) was on our butts all the time, making us into great players. All this made us into a strong team,” Torres said.
She also personally wants to improve some parts of her game.
“My vertical; my form in weightlifting and my vertical,” Torres said. “I have grown a lot since my freshman year. Looking back, I was so awkward, and everything was new to me, but I’ve grown a lot.”
Torres aims to help the Rebels surpass last season’s trip to the bidistrict round of the playoffs. A district title is what Torres and the team aim for this season.
“Our goal is to be district champions. We talked as a team and came up with a lot of goals as a team. District champions was one of them,” Torres said. “Being disciplined and having good relationships as a team.”
