Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Taking her game to a new level

Coeur d’Alene High School volleyball player Natalie Stewart is a three-year starter.  (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)

Coeur d’Alene High volleyball coach Carly Curtis knows most NCAA Division I colleges have concluded their recruiting for the 2009 senior class.

The way it works today, colleges seek oral commitments from seniors in their junior years.

If a Division I school happens to have a last-minute opening when the signing period comes around, especially for a setter, Curtis would be willing to talk to any schools about Natalie Stewart.

“The schools looked past her last year when they were recruiting juniors,” said Curtis, who played volleyball at Eastern Washington University. “They haven’t seen her now and the level she’s at this year. She can play at a Division I school.”

Boise State University was talking for a while to Stewart. But the school recently told her that their 2009 scholarships are accounted for.

Stewart is an appealing athlete for many reasons. She stands 5-foot-9 and is left-handed, which is alluring because it makes her an offensive weapon as a capable hitter, too. It’s something she’s consciously incorporated more in the Vikings’ offense this year.

Her defense has improved, evidenced by the fact that her digs have doubled from last year. And she’s a more precise server this year.

“Her whole game is just so much better,” Curtis said. “She’s taken her total game to the next level.”

If her game and athleticism isn’t eye catching, consider Stewart the student. She carries a weighted 4.5 grade-point average and will be CdA’s valedictorian.

Stewart is the complete package.

“Between her sports and her classes, she doesn’t get much sleep at night,” Curtis said. “She works hard for everything she gets.”

Stewart, who also finds time for a boyfriend, said on average she spends four hours a night doing homework. On nights she has volleyball or basketball games out of town, she can be seen studying in the bleachers during junior varsity games. And she’s easy to spot on the bus during late-night rides home: her book light is always on.

“Pepsi is my caffeine of choice,” Stewart said. “I’m known for Pepsi and power naps.”

Stewart crashes on the weekends, trying to catch up on lost sleep Monday through Friday.

Last weekend, she and her mother drove to Carroll College in Helena for a recruiting trip. While mom drove over and back, daughter was doing homework.

“She gets a lot of respect from her teammates on and off the court,” Curtis said. “Her dedication to her sports and academics speaks volumes to her team. So when she talks her teammates listen. They respect everything she says.”

She hasn’t backed down this year from any academic challenges. She’s taking college-level courses to finish her International Baccalaureate diploma requirements.

“I have a pretty rigorous schedule,” she said. “I haven’t taken an elective class since my sophomore year. My last elective was weightlifting.”

She’s still maturing physically. She just turned 17 years old last week. She’s not only the youngest of the nine seniors on the volleyball team, she’s among the youngest seniors in her class overall.

She was moved up a class during kindergarten.

She and her parents knew that it would probably be advantageous for her athletically if she didn’t move ahead. But it’s never been athletics-first for her.

Stewart believes that by playing sports with older girls – and tagging along with an older sister much of her youth – that she was still able to hold her own.

“For me, my success in sports has been a lot about being in the right place at the right time,” she said.

She did have one setback last year, though. A tumor grew on the end of a finger on her right hand. Although it was benign, its rapid growth concerned her doctor. She was hoping to postpone the surgery until the basketball season concluded. But the doctor said no. She missed the last three weeks of the season.

The Vikings went on to capture the state championship.

“I didn’t get to play but I still felt a part of it,” Stewart said.

She wants to help the basketball team repeat this year. But she also wants to lead the volleyball team to a state title.

“We’ve worked so hard to improve our defense and it’s made our offense better,” said Stewart, who broke her own school record for assists (46) Tuesday. “My team has asked me to take more risks (setting) because we have more options.”

The Viks thought they could earn a state trophy last year. But they had a disappointing finish, ending one spot out of a trophy.

“We didn’t play as well as we could have. We just didn’t execute well,” Stewart said. “We had good team chemistry, we were just a roller coaster-type team last year. We knew we could have won a trophy. This year we’re trying not to get too high or too low.”

It’s worked. The Vikings are undefeated in league and had lost just once going into the week.

“We really evaluated ourselves after last year,” Stewart said. “We knew what we had to do to get better. We’ve strengthened our flaws and we’re a more well-rounded team. Anything less than a state title and I think we’d think we didn’t live up to our potential.”

This much is for sure: Stewart will do whatever it takes to help her team.

“I don’t get too much sleep and I have a lot to juggle in my life,” Stewart said, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”