Player Profile: Oswego East Vollyeball Libero Jordan Reifsteck

isn’t known as being a girls volleyball power.

Senior Jordan Reifsteck is about to change that.

The 17-year-old is the school’s game, season and career leader in digs.

A year ago, Reifsteck’s defense helped the Wolves reach a regional championship game for the first time in school history.

This season, the New Mexico State University recruit has her sights on bringing home the program’s first regional championship.

When did you first start playing the sport? I started playing volleyball at 11. Everyone thinks that I am joking when I mention that I started as a middle hitter on the 12-year-old team at Sports Performance.

When did you first get serious about the sport? On my 15s team, I chose to become the libero after being an attacker for three years.  At that point, I decided that I wanted to play at the NCAA Division I level.

What advice do you have for those who are just beginning to learn the sport? Be a student of the game and be willing to change.  Focus on progress, not the outcome. Control what you can control only worrying about the next step in front of you.

Who are your favorite athletes? Michael Jordan is my favorite male athlete, but my favorite female athlete is USA girls volleyball player Misty May Treanor. And yes, my dad was a huge Michael Jordan fan, hence
my name.

What’s the biggest key to playing defense in the back row? The best defenders play low and fast. Although a lot of coaches preach about getting back to base position, I think it’s also very important to read the blocks.

What has been your most glorious sports moment? I’ve had two awesome volleyball experiences. First off, I had a wonderful experience by
winning an AAU national championship while playing at First Alliance during my 16s year. Secondly, I had the opportunity to play in the USA High Performance program for the past few years, including attending the Holiday Training Camp at the Olympic Training Center.  It has been so much fun playing with the best girls in the country.

What was your most embarrassing sports moment? While I was at the Olympic Training Center, after eating my lunch, I turned the corner to put away my empty tray only to hit gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps right in the gut. He just laughed.

What are your goals for the 2011 season? As an incoming freshman, my parents gave me the choice to attend Oswego East or St. Francis.  I chose Oswego East in hopes to move the program forward.  Now that I’m a
senior, I want to fulfill my freshman dream of changing the culture at Oswego East.  I want my younger teammates to keep moving the program forward, expecting to win every game of every match.  When I come back in 5, 10 or 20 years, I want to see volleyball championship banners hanging from the rafters.