Decisions, decisions

Jenna Griffitts hasn’t run out of time. But the Coeur d’Alene High senior two-sport standout knows time is working against her.

Griffitts is standing at a proverbial crossroad. In one hand, she has a volleyball; in the other, she has a basketball. She’s decided this much – she will play one sport in college, not both.

The early signing period in both sports will come and go next month, and it’s not likely the 5-foot-11 Griffitts will have decided which sport she will play let alone which school she wants to attend.

If Griffitts is anxious, she’s not letting on. Nor is she giving any indication which way she’s leaning.

She’s less concerned about what sport she’ll play and more in tune to seeking divine intervention.

“There’s no reason to agonize or stress out about it,” Griffitts said, flashing a smile that punctuates most of her sentences. “My faith is so important to me. I’ve been blessed having that in my life. God has a plan for me. I will go through the open door. It’s a hard decision. He will direct me in the path I should go.”

No matter how often one frames the question to Griffitts regarding which sport she might choose, her response consistently includes three words: “I don’t know.”

For that matter, she doesn’t know which sport she loves playing the most.

“I could pick either sport and be OK with it,” she said. “The hardest part is picking.”

Griffitts is overjoyed about one thing, however. She’s glad she returned to CdA High for her senior year.

Her family moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., last year so it could be closer to her father’s job (airline pilot based out of Denver). She started at middle hitter at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale last fall. The school was 18-3 and ranked fourth in the state’s 5A poll earlier this week.

“I miss my teammates and coaches, but I absolutely love being back home,” Griffitts said.

The move to Arizona turned into a year of non-stop volleyball. After the high school season, Griffitts played on one of the elite club teams in the state. She made the high school basketball team but quit two days after tryouts because she wanted to concentrate solely on volleyball.

She plans to play basketball at CdA.

“It was just a great opportunity to play at a higher caliber,” Griffitts said of club. “It really pushed me to play at a higher level.”

Griffitts started at middle hitter for Desert Mountain and switched to rightside/backup setter for the club team. She’s made the transition back to outside hitter at CdA, the primary position she played before moving.

After hitting a midseason lull, CdA played its best match to date in a win at Sandpoint last week. The Viks, who fell 3-0 to cross-town rival Lake City last month, get a chance to even things tonight at LC.

Griffitts, one of the top two-sport athletes in the state, is averaging a team-high 12 kills per match and ranks second in digs (25).

“She can definitely play (NCAA) Division I,” said CdA coach Carly Curtis, a CdA High grad who played the sport at North Idaho College and Eastern Washington University. “She’s so well-rounded and athletic. You could not have a better kid in terms of personality and work ethic. She’s not only made a difference in our team (with her skills), but she’s added a lot to our team in attitude.”

CdA assistant Tia Vesser agreed. But Vesser would rather talk about Griffitts the person, not the athlete.

“How much space do you have?” asked Vesser, who coached Griffitts on the Canfield Middle School eighth-grade team. It was Griffitts’ first year of competitive volleyball. She started playing basketball in fourth grade and teamed with a mixture of CdA and LC athletes, including T-Wolf standouts Breanna Sande, Lauren Stern, Kristi Tuntland and Amy Lawson, on an AAU team for five years.

“I can’t say enough about her,” Vesser added. “She’s the most unselfish athlete and one of the hardest workers I’ve seen.”

Griffitts understands she’s most known because of her athletic skills. But she strives to befriend non-athlete and athlete alike.

“I honestly don’t have a best friend,” she said. “I have a lot of close friends. I love meeting new people. My best friends are my family. I cherish my family and my faith.

“I love the administration here (at CdA). The people here are accepting of others. It’s a fun atmosphere. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to come home.”

Modest to a fault, she finds it uncomfortable to talk about her skills. She’d rather talk about her teams.

“A little part of me wishes I had the decision made,” she said. “But it’s where I am in my life. I understand it’s where I’m supposed to be.”