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In sports, there are always players that do not receive the glory, but they have to do the dirty work.

Football has its linemen, soccer has its defenders, and volleyball has its libero. For those who don’t know, the libero is responsible for staying in the back row and keeping the ball in play. That means they rarely get to attack the net, and they spend most of their time chasing and diving for loose balls. Bruises and sore legs are necessary effects of playing libero.

One particular libero stood out to me when I was covering a Lyle-Pacelli volleyball match against Lanesboro last week.

That libero was Lyle-Pacelli freshman Carleigh Rymer, who not only was hustling in the back row, she was doing it with joy. Rymer would sprint to the edge of the floor, dive for a ball, and then get up and smile at the student section that was cheering her and her team on.

Her attitude and effort has surely rubbed off on her teammates as the Athletics, who have an extremely young roster, are starting to compete in matches after years of struggling just to win a single game, let alone a match.

Players like Rymer are crucial to have if a team is serious about competing. Her spirit, energy and drive will always lift the team up, no matter the score.

LP ended up losing to Lanesboro that night, but I wouldn’t call the Athletics losers. They are a team that is still finding themselves and they are starting to learn what high school sports are all about.

So the next time you’re at a volleyball match and notice the one player in the back row with a different colored jersey from her teammates, give them the applause they deserve. For they are leading the team in their own way.