GREENFIELD — Mya Grigsby has always been a hard worker, but not always a confident one.
Once the Greenfield-Central junior outside hitter, The Daily Reporter Volleyball Athlete of the Year, put those two qualities together, she was nearly unstoppable.
“She got better every day,” G-C coach Jon Vernon said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see how much better players get because you see them every day, but she’s the kind of kid you could see her getting better day-by-day.
“I really believe she tries to be better every time she goes out on the court.”
Grigsby credits hard work, and gaining confidence, as keys to her outstanding season.
At 5-foot-10 with incredible leaping ability, Grigsby’s junior campaign was a breakout season.
She had played well as a sophomore (270 kills, 261 digs), but showed big improvements, especially on efficiency as a junior. Grigsby, significantly, cut down on errors after hitting .179 in 2021.
An All-Hoosier Heritage Conference player, she ranked second in the HHC in hitting percentage (.354), kills (394), kills per set (4.1) and kills percentage (46.2). She was fourth in the HHC in service aces with 59 and 13th in digs with 262.
Most of those ahead of her in digs were defensive specialists and liberos. Only three hitters finished higher than Grigsby in digs.
“My mental mindset,” Grigsby answered as being one of the big keys for her outstanding season. “It’s mainly confidence, and dedication and hard work. If you really love the sport, you need to put in the hours and the time.
“I’ve struggled with confidence, but sometime this year, I kind of found it. I still struggle, and I think you’re always going to have struggles as an athlete, but it’s there more than it was.”
Already having an outstanding season, Grigsby’s play really picked up late. Her confidence was building, and it led to her numbers soaring and the team getting on a winning streak.
She had six straight double-figure kill performances to end the season, her longest stretch of 10 or more finishes. She hit .370 in those matches.
No match was better than the Cougars upset win over New Palestine in the first round of the Yorktown Sectional.
G-C was coming in on a season-high four-match winning streak and had recently won an invitational tournament.
The Dragons had beaten the Cougars in the regular season and led their rivals 2-0 going into the third set. G-C, led by Grigsby, won the final three games to move on to the sectional semifinals.
Grigsby finished with 32 kills. She also had 18 digs.
The 32 kills were a career high and sixth time on the season she had 20 or more. She also had two 20-plus digs games during the year and even dished out 22 assists as a setter in the season-opener against Waldron.
But nothing was quite like her performance against the Dragons in the first-round lose-or-go-home match.
“I’ve not seen a performance like what she did against New Pal in the sectional,” Vernon said. “I’ve not had an athlete, and I’ve had some pretty good players over the last 10-15 years, but that’s the most impressive performance I’ve had as a volleyball coach from a player in a pressure situation.”
“It was crazy. I didn’t think I could do that,” Grigsby said of her 32-kill match against New Pal. “I didn’t know I was around 32. I thought had maybe 19 or like 10, it didn’t feel like 32.”
Grigsby said her hope for next season is to pick up where she and the team left off. They were playing their best volleyball in late September and early October. She’d also like to join the 1,000-kill club. She will go into her final high school season with 669.
Grigsby added, “I want our team to be confident and play our game.”
2022 Daily Reporter Fall Sports Honors
Volleyball Athlete of the Year
Mya Grigsby, Greenfield-Central
Volleyball Coach of the Year
Kelli Gabehart, New Palestine
*All-Hancock County Team
Pos.;Name, School;Class
DS;Elizabeth Gee-Weiler, Mt. Vernon;12
L;Honour Mallory, New Palestine;12
MH;Reagan Kleiman, New Palestine;12
MH;Ellie Meyer, Eastern Hancockl;10
OH;Mya Grigsby, Greenfield-Central;11
OH;Rilee Roland, Greenfield-Central;10
S;Isabella Gizzi, New Palestine;12
Honorable Mention
Eastern Hancock: Sydney Hayes. Greenfield-Central: Finnley Greene, Harper Holden, Makenna Rankins. Mt. Vernon: Sophia Damer, Sierra Holverson. New Palestine: Bella Brownfield, Rachel Burke, Azure Flagle.
*Determined by coaches nominations and The Daily Reporter
