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Middle blocker Ava Roberts powers Pflugerville volleyball team

rick cantu, austin american-statesman
·2 min read

All about Ava

Tell something about you that most people don't know.

Taekwondo was my first sport. I am a third-degree black belt.

What' s your favorite breakfast meal?

I enjoy cooking breakfast. It’s sunny side up eggs, toast or a toasted bagel with cream cheese, and iced coffee with vanilla and cream. Cooking relaxes me and allows me to improve on execution, presentation and taste.

Pflugerville volleyball player Ava Roberts is a third-degree black belt in taekwondo. Although she has not chosen a college, she plans to major in biomedical engineering. And when it comes to school rivalries, she considers Hendrickson her team's No. 1 foe.
Pflugerville volleyball player Ava Roberts is a third-degree black belt in taekwondo. Although she has not chosen a college, she plans to major in biomedical engineering. And when it comes to school rivalries, she considers Hendrickson her team's No. 1 foe.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

Although I have not finalized the school, I have chosen biomedical engineering as my major. I love to solve problems and have participated in many health sciences and STEM camps. I enjoy researching, creating and inventing and look forward to solving both biological and medical problems through engineering.

More: Dripping Springs enters season No. 1 in Central Texas volleyball

About that volleyball life

What is your favorite part about the sport of volleyball?

Volleyball provides a great cardio workout. I like that it can be played at varied skill levels but still be fun and exciting. Offseason, I leisurely play on coed teams with strangers and friends at parks, gyms and beaches.

Has volleyball taught you any lessons that you apply to daily life?

A study found that 80% of women leaders played team sports as youths. I started playing sports in middle school, and volleyball was the first team that I made. Playing sports has helped me to improve my skills in teamwork, leadership and problem solving.

Pflugerville middle blocker Ava Roberts, a senior, says her favorite high school volleyball moment was playing in her first varsity tournament. "As a senior, it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone can enjoy playing and can grow this season," she said.
Pflugerville middle blocker Ava Roberts, a senior, says her favorite high school volleyball moment was playing in her first varsity tournament. "As a senior, it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone can enjoy playing and can grow this season," she said.

More: Rouse's Savannah Skopal is a volleyball force

Settling in for one more season

What are you looking forward to the most this season?

I'm really looking forward to building team connections. As a senior, it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone can enjoy playing and can grow this season.

Whom do you consider to be Pflugerville's biggest rival in volleyball?

Hendrickson. The game is competitive yet personal. Some players went to middle or elementary school together or played with the same club team.What has been your favorite volleyball memory in high school?

Playing in my first varsity tournament. We were a team that had a lot of new varsity players. We were learning how to work together as a team, dancing in between games and trying new things.

Dream dinner

If you could have dinner with four people in the history of the world, who would they be?

I would love to have dinner with (former Olympian) Michelle Carter, Michelle Obama, (entrepreneur/author) Janice Bryant Howroyd and Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett.Why did you pick Dr. Corbett?

She was the lead scientist in the development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. I plan to pursue a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering. It would be very rewarding to converse with someone who has made one of the biggest medical advances.

— Rick Cantu

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the Field: Ava Roberts, senior middle blocker, Pflugerville