By Lee Davis
In Olivia Portera’s four years at Hoover, the Lady Bucs have become one of Alabama’s top Class 7A volleyball programs.
For all their success, however, there’s still one threshold the team hasn’t crossed. It hasn’t put a blue state championship trophy in the school’s hardware case.
Hoover came close in 2015. The Lady Bucs fell to McGill-Toolen in the Elite Eight semi-finals, just one round short of the title. For Portera, an All-Over-the-Mountain libero, getting close isn’t quite good enough as her senior year begins.
“Last year’s season didn’t end as we’d planned,” she said. “But there is tremendous momentum carrying over because of the talent and chemistry of our team. We’ve never won a state championship but we’ve been so close. We have a chance to do something that’s never been done at Hoover before.”
The Lady Bucs are off to a 7-4 start against one of Alabama’s toughest schedules, including a victory over defending state champion Mountain Brook.
“We are focusing on the little things,” Portera said. “Some of our team goals are to stay positive at all times and do the technical things correctly. Most importantly, we want to keep the bond that holds us together.”
Of course, Portera is far from a one-girl show. The other Lady Buc contributors include Spencer Downs, Nora Webster, Paige Shaw, Kyra Hunter, Maya Jones, Kasia Hunter, Brayden Williams, Anna Marie Auchmuty, MacKenzie Martin and Caroline Raybon.
Portera returns for her senior year with impressive numbers. Last season, she produced 85 aces and a whopping 499 digs. She’s off to a strong start in 2016 as well, although her primary personal goals have little to do with statistics.
“I want to be the leader under all circumstances,” she said. “If a teammate isn’t having her best game, I have to be the one to look her in the face and keep her positive. If the team is down as a whole, I have to find the right thing to say.”
Spectators at Hoover’s games notice Portera’s presence immediately, as she is constantly cheering and exhorting her teammates.
“I have to be loud and vocal every second of the game,” she explained. “I’m the one who is screaming and cheering after everything we do. Off the court I strive to be that same leader by staying on top of my grades and socially by doing the right things and staying out of trouble.”
Her ability to serve and receive may be Portera’s strongest point, but she knows there is always room for improvement. “I’m good at tracking the ball and reading seams of blocks,” she explained. “I’m not very strong with my upper body so when balls come to me I have to use my hands. And as the fans can see, another strong part of my game is cheering.”
Portera credits Hoover coach Chris Camper for much of her development as a player. “Playing for Coach Camper is an honor,” she said. “He taught me new skills on the court, how to lead and to understand exactly what kind of player I am.”
One reason for Portera’s close connection with her coach could be their similar emotion and intensity. “Coach Camper is very intense during a game,” she said. “Sometimes players from other teams tell me that they are scared of him. I have to disagree. Coach Camper demands a lot and we know he loves us and always wants us to be our best. I wouldn’t trade the bond that we have for anything.”
Portera said a match against Grissom in the state super regionals during her freshman season may have been her turning point as a player.
“We beat Grissom in five sets and it was a great experience for me,” she recalled. “The entire match was a fight which had intensity, fear and many more emotions. Having the opportunity to play in a match like that at such a young age gave me a feel for the nerves and pressure that comes with the knowledge that the entire season is on the line. That game is a reason why I don’t really get nervous in the playoffs anymore because I’ve become accustomed to the pressure.”
Portera, who grew up in Pleasant Grove, began playing volleyball in third grade almost by chance. She was attending Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in Homewood when she first became acquainted with the sport. “In Catholic school you can start playing sports in third grade,” she recalled. “I signed up for volleyball only because all my friends were signing up for it. I couldn’t have known then that I would fall in love with the game.”
The luck of the draw may have introduced Portera to volleyball, but her future is set. She has already committed to play at Jacksonville State University next year. “I couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity to continue to play volleyball for the next four years,” she said. “I’ll be focused on volleyball and school and then pursue nursing from there.”
Whether or not Hoover wins a state title, Portera said she’d be grateful for the experiences that have come from volleyball. “I can’t wait to see where God leads me,” she said. “Playing volleyball has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I could not be more thankful for the friends it has brought me and the opportunities that have come.”
And that’s a prize even sweeter than a blue trophy.
