The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

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  • Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen Whether Dalton High’s volleyball team makes a mistake or wins a point, the Lady Catamounts know they can count on a big cheer from senior Mary Faith Erwin. Dalton coach Joey Wills said Erwin’s ability to help others around her be in position to do the right thing is one reason she’s a player he counts on to provide leadership on match day.

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September 9, 2010

She’s got spirit

Enthusiasm, leadership are among priorities for Erwin

By Marty Kirkland martykirkland@daltoncitizen.com

Mary Faith Erwin is the Editor of Dalton High’s yearbook, President of the school’s GWI service club and the kind of teammate who looks after other members of the Lady Catamounts volleyball program even beyond the times when it might be expected.

After walking out of the gym following Tuesday’s practice and noticing a couple of other Dalton players sitting outside of the school, Erwin didn’t pass without checking to make sure everyone had a ride home.

No wonder the Lady Cats trust the senior left side hitter to take care of them on the court, too.

“A lot of it starts with her serving,” senior setter Joana Rosales said. “I know that when she’s back there, I can count on her to get her serve over. And I know when she’s up front, I can set to her and rely on her to get us a kill.

“A big thing for our team is trying to build trust, and I’ve played with her for a while. I know I can trust her.”

Erwin is one of the most statistically productive players for the Lady Cats (6-7, 2-1 Area 7-3A), who often count on her to finish off attacks.

She’s averaging a team-best six kills per match, Dalton coach Joey Wills said, and was key to Lady Cats’ wins this year at Northwest — the first since 2007 — and vs. Heritage-Catoosa, an area opponent. She has good court vision, Wills said, with an ability to find the open holes and place her hits where the other team isn’t. And this year, she’s taking a better approach to the ball that allows her to get more power and consistency from her swing, he added.

But none of those are the biggest reason Erwin is so valuable in her second full season as a starter. While the Lady Cats have six seniors on this year’s roster, they lost that same number from 2009, so the early part of this season has included the typical adjustments necessary for new starters and players making significant contributions in the varsity lineup for the first time.

“Since she’s been around so long, she understands the game,” Wills said. “She understands every position, and she knows where people need to be and where she needs to be, so she can help out while they’re on the court. She and Joana are our two leaders out there on the court most of the time, and they get us situated so that we’re good to go.”

Erwin said she had good examples of leadership in players she backed up in the past, like Daniela Molinar and Emily Broadrick.

“They were always bringing the team together and always encouraging,” said Erwin, who also plays tennis for the Lady Cats — she teamed up with Rebekah Cannon, another volleyball player, for doubles this past spring — and was a three-sport athlete her freshman year before dropping basketball.

Rosales said Erwin is one of the most persistent members of the team in developing and leading cheers to rally the Lady Cats when things aren’t going well on the court. Her drive to win and attitude in general has helped, Rosales said, along with her wisdom.

“A lot of it is also experience,” Rosales said. “She’s one of the players that was here last year and got playing time on varsity, so a lot of her expertise rubs off on us. She knows what she’s doing.”

Erwin makes a point of speaking up even when things don’t go right, but said she doesn’t focus on analysis and correction as much as making sure the player who made a mistake is focused and encouraged so she will make the right play next time.

“It’s more just like, ‘Keep your head up and get the next one and forget about that point,’” Erwin said. “When the pass comes to you, you can’t be thinking about the serve that you just missed.”

That drive and willingness to work hard is showing up for everyone on the roster now, Erwin said.

Obviously, the Lady Cats would like for things to be as smooth as possible the rest of the way, and particularly over the next couple of weeks as the team tries to earn a good seed for next month’s area tournament. But if things get a little hectic, Wills knows he doesn’t always have to be the one who says something that gets Dalton turned around.

“She has a calming effect on others and when they get all worked up and get angry at themselves,” he said, “she can talk to them and it helps us get back to where we need to be.”

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