By Nicole Souza
Staff Writer

Jumping up above the net spiking as much as she can, senior co-captain Amanda Brooks is leading the girls’ varsity volleyball team as a middle hitter this season.

Brooks started playing volleyball the summer before her freshman year. A friend of hers was planning on trying out, and Brooks was “getting a little tired of soccer”, and wanted to try something new.

She made varsity her sophomore year, only her second season playing.

“[Brooks] has made herself an exceptional volleyball player,” said volleyball coach Maria Henderson.

With the Grey Ghosts 8-5 so far, Brooks says that, “we’re hoping to add more wins under our belt”, with big games coming up against Lincoln-Sudbury October 23rd and Billerica October 25th.

The team has a pregame ritual of listening to a warm-up CD to get them pumped up, which includes tracks such as “Cinderella Man”, “Power”, and “No Church in the Wild”.

So far in her career, Brooks says that her biggest accomplishment with playing volleyball is being chosen as captain.

“It was a great honor,” said Brooks.

According to Henderson she has been an exceptional captain.

“There’s not a thing that she’s not focused on, and that has made her one of the best captains I’ve ever had,” said Henderson.

In her free time, Brooks also plays basketball and does track & field. Her favorite hobby is photography, and this past summer she has taken a number of seniors’ pictures for the yearbook.

One of the goals for the Ghosts this year Brooks says is to “play the best we can”.

She is really excited about the Coaches verses Cancer game on Friday, October 19th against Acton-Boxborough.

“Everyone should come!” she says. “It should be a good game.”