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The Times Athlete of the Week: Streator girls volleyball’s Avery Gribbin · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  The Times Athlete of the Week. Streeter's Avery Gribbin This
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  article is being read by an automated voice, brought to you by
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  Everlit. Two hundred and sixty-seven votes were cast in an online contest,
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  and when all were counted, Streeter girls volleyball, sophomore Avery Gribbon was
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  voted the Times Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Seyoku and Grassers
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  Plumbing and Heating Inc. Gribbon, who received 198 of the 267 votes
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  on a ballot that also included runner-up, Zoe Carlson, Newark Girls Volleyball,
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  Connor Baker, Marquette Football, and Robert Polier, Ottawa Boys Soccer, was nominated
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  after a week that included a six kill, two ace, four dig
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  performance in a win at Dwight, and a six kill, fourteen dig
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  showing in an Ice Conference triumph at Hersher. Weekly ballots go online
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  Mondays and are accessible via Facebook, The Times Sports, and Twitter at
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  pedalty with voting going through midday Wednesday. Here is a Kanda with
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  this week's winner. Do you have any nicknames? Gribbin:
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  I don't have any nicknames from SHS, but a throwback from my
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  last club season. I got pulled up to play with 16U and
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  my teammates called me Freshy because I was the only freshman. How
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  old were you when you started playing v volleyball and what got
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  you’d into the sport? Gribbon. I started volleyball in February of eighth
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  grade and made the 14U national team at Ilaney Elite. I made
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  the difficult decision to retire after nine years of gymnastics and focus
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  full time on my passion for volleyball. Joining the varsity team as
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  an underclassman can be challenging. When did you know you'd be playing
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  up with the varsity team? And were there any things What made
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  that transition easier for you? Gribben. I learned I would be playing
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  up at the end of summer tryouts. Julie Gabehart, Streeter's vars head
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  coach, let me know it was a team decision, and I was
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  honored. The transition has been easy because of my great teammates and
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  our ability to play together as a team. What are a few
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  of your favorite gyms you've had the chance to play in over
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  the years? Gribben. One of my favorites is Kingman Gym in Ottawa.
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  The competition and adrenaline is always high, and of course I can't
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  forget Popsdale. We practice and bond in that gym, and there are
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  countless memories being made there. What movie would you say you've seen
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  more than any other? About how many times? Gribben one of my
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  favorite movies growing up was Homeward Bound. I've watched it countless times
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  with my grandma. Which of your
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  teammates cracks you up the most? Gribbon. Kennedy Harcherick never fails to
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  make me laugh after a tough day or set. She's also first
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  to celebrate great plays with me. If you could see any musical
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  artist in any venue, all expenses paid, who would you see and
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  where? Gribbin:
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  I like listening to Fleetwood Mac and would enjoy seeing them. You
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  and your teammates are going out for dinner to celebrate a big
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  win. Where are you going and what are you ordering? Gribbon, Portillos.
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  I usually order a hot dog and a slice of chocolate cake.
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  What goals does the team have for this season and what will
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  it take to achieve them? Gribben, overall our team has been performing
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  great, but one goal that we want to achieve is playing more
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  fluent as a team instead of individually, even if we are down
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  in the set. Is there something about you that people who only
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  know you through sports might find surprising? Gribben, I am really into
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  writing and like journaling. I also have a cat named Fat Cat.
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  Do you have any plans yet for life after high school? Do
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  they involve sports? Gribbin, I am very determined to play volleyball in
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  college at the highest division I can achieve. I had a significant
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  knee injury in gymnastics and rehabbed with a gymnastics therapist who also
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  works with the national team, Gina Pongletti. She helped me both physically
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  and mentally recover from that injury. I'm looking into physical therapy and
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  sports psychology as a future career.