MUSKEGON TWP. - Sometimes it can be embarrassing to be the player with the loud parent in the bleachers.
But that’s not the case for Hailey Johnsen, a 6-foot-1 senior on the Reeths-Puffer volleyball team.
Her dad has always been one of the voices that everyone hears at varsity matches, but he always keeps it happy and positive while cheering on the Rockets.
Rather than cringing at the sound of her father’s voice, Johnsen has followed his lead.
R-P's Hailey Johnsen
She’s been a bright light for the Rockets when she’s on the bench, pulling for the team and keeping spirits up, particularly when times get tough.
And there have been quite a few tough times for the Rockets over the past two seasons.
Last year, with a young and inexperienced lineup, the Rockets struggled to a 7-30-1 record.
This year they got off to a better start, posting an 8-7 record after 15 matches, but then two key players were injured, and they started competing in the brutal O-K Green conference, which includes four state-ranked teams.
Johnsen (13) jumps to try to make a block. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Reeths-Puffer has lost 10 of it 11 last matches, mostly by pretty one-sided scores.
It can become hard for players to remain focused under those circumstances, but Johnsen refuses to give up, and won’t let her teammates, either.
The Rockets are hoping to have better success against local competition on Saturday when they host the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tournament.
“It’s huge for us,” said R-P head coach Justin Birr about Johnsen's impact on the team. “Even last night, she played in the first set, but not the second or third, and I’m sure she wasn’t happy about that, but she was still the loudest voice on the bench, cheering us on between every single point.
“I think she gets it from her dad. He’s always up there saying 'Let’s go Rockets,' and she’s the same way. She’s always the encourager for that next point. She brings the girls up every single time, which is awesome.”
Johnsen (13) keeps her teammates pumped up on the bench. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Johnsen smiles when you mention her dad.
“Both of my parents are big supporters,” she said. “I always hear my dad – he’s always up there going ‘Woo! woo!,” and everybody on the bench knows that Dan’s here! He’s always pumping that positivity out.
“My coaches have told me they see that positivity in me, and that makes me want to spread it to other people. We need our bench to be supportive. Without a positive bench, you don’t have a team on the court.”
Johnsen knows all about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, even when things are looking down.
Johnsen tips a shot back over the net. Photo/Jeremy Clark
She was already tall in middle school and went out for the volleyball team in the eighth grade, but did not make the cut.
Usually when kids are cut from a team in the early grades, they won't try out again. But Johnsen took the disappointment as a challenge, worked hard on her game over the next year, and made the freshman team in her first year of high school.
By her sophomore season she was starting for the junior varsity squad, and even got called up to varsity for a few weeks.
“I was disappointed about not making the team (in middle school), but that gave me the drive,” Johnsen said. “I decided if I wanted to play this sport I had to put in the work. I ended up playing club volleyball that winter, and I went to clinics and camps and ended up making the freshman team.
“I wasn’t a starter as a freshman, but I wasn’t expecting to be. I still learned a lot about attacking the ball and blocking. Going into my sophomore year I was still working really hard, and I ended up being the starting middle hitter for the JV.”
Johnsen, right, prepares for a serve with her teammates. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Johnsen did not see a ton of playing time during her junior year, when the joined the varsity on full-time basis, but she kept working and improving, and it paid off again.
Earlier this season she became the starting right hitter for the Rockets. While she’s not a star by any means, Johnsen contributes with her blocking and defensive skills.
Making the starting lineup was quite an accomplishment for a kid who was cut from the middle school volleyball team just a few years ago.
“She was tall (in middle school), but she was not super coordinated yet,” Birr said. “It’s hard for a kid to be cut. You usually don’t see them in the gym in the future, but she invested time and made sure she worked on things to get better.
“She’s the type of person to put in the maximum effort every time. She never really lets up. That’s what made her show up in her ninth-grade year and give this a try again.”