You just can’t miss her

To get an idea of how far and rapidly Rachael Schurman came in volleyball, until the eighth grade, Mead coach Judy Kight didn’t even know her.

“I usually know the kids from the third grade on,” said Kight, who, like most high school volleyball coaches, follows the youth programs. “I had no idea who she was.”

By last season, three years later, Schurman was the Greater Spokane League and State 4A most valuable player for the state title winning Panthers.

It’s a program that has long stressed team over individual. Yet, said Kight, “She (Schurman) earned everything she got. Since it was such a team effort, I don’t think anyone had any problems with it at all.”

Indeed, so tight was the bond of that team, this year’s three returning seniors decided to join up with the outgoing players for one last hurrah during club volleyball rather than play with more high-profile clubs.

“It was just because we had so much fun at state and connected really well,” said Schurman. “We wanted one last chance to play with them since they’d be going off to college.”

The unassuming Schurman, a 6-foot middle blocker, is at a loss to explain the kudos she earned last year, particularly in light of the quality of Mead’s lineup and her rapid ascent as one of the GSL’s dominant players.

“I’m surprised by all my honors,” she said. “There are so many good people in the GSL.”

She had played volleyball in elementary and middle school mainly because of her height, but wasn’t on varsity as a seventh-grader, had not attended any camps and said she didn’t develop a passion for the sport until her first year of club volleyball.

Kight first became aware of Schurman during her first summer camp at Northwood Middle School after her eighth-grade year.

Schurman instantly caught Kight’s eye.

“She had natural potential,” Kight continued. “For a kid I didn’t know I thought, ‘Wow! This girl’s going to start hitting the ball pretty hard, pretty soon.’ “

Actually it was sooner than either of them expected. Panther middle KeLicia Shorts injured her knee and Kight brought Schurman up to varsity from the freshman squad as a replacement.

“That’s how fast she picked up the game,” said Kight. “That’s how much potential she had. You could see it if you’re any coach at all.”

That potential surfaced and was refined during three club seasons, including two with the Spokane Splash, a high-profile area program.

“I developed a love for the game and started going to camps,” said Schurman. “That’s how it happened.”

When the Panthers open the season tonight, Schurman will begin her fourth varsity season, third as a starter. Playing for Mead, Schurman has known nothing but success. The Panthers have won three of the last four GSL championships, two regionals and have finished fifth, fourth and first at state.

Last year she led the team in kills, averaging in double figures, and blocks in all but three GSL matches and in every district and regional match.

The Panthers swept league and all 11 postseason contests. Their two losses came at tournaments against two-time Idaho champion Sandpoint.

A new season begins this week and the GSL is loaded. Several teams return virtually their entire rosters and all but three have a minimum of six players back.

“I think the league will be stronger as a whole than it was last year,” said Kight.

Added West Valley coach Drew Wendle, “We have arguably the best league in state and there’s a reason for that. Programs are built for years.”

The Panthers are one of those, having finished among the top three in the GSL since 1996. Though needing to replace four starters, Kight isn’t ruling her team out.

“We’ll be called the favorite just because of what we did last year, even though this is a whole new team,” she said.

Well, not entirely new. There are two starters back and six others who gained experience on a state title winner.

With the league’s reigning MVP in Schurman, Kight knows that even though volleyball is a team endeavor, having a potential Division I player on the court can’t hurt.

“First of all Rachael is an incredible blocker. She has great timing, sees the hitter and is really good at shutting her down,” said Kight. “She can run any place and crush it. She can hit out of the front and back row just as consistently, her passing and defense are good and she jumps great.

“She’s got it all, plus she’s humble. Rachael is just a sweetheart.”