Addy Andrews and Aubrey Wynne's quest to inspire young volleyball players

For their senior project, Addy Andrews and Aubrey Wynne are helping to coach the middle school girls volleyball team. During their four-year careers playing high school volleyball, they three-peated as Southeast champions, with just as many showings at the state tournament.

Now, with their varsity volleyball careers behind them, Andrews and Wynne hope they can help the next generation find the same passion for the sport they love.

"We try and make sure that they enjoy it," Wynne said. "We both hit a point where volleyball wasn't that enjoyable, and I am so glad that I stuck with it. I definitely wouldn't be the person that I am (without it)."

Technically, they are "helping out" with the middle school program. If they keep their grades up (which they assured me they are), the pair will travel with the team to its April tournament in Petersburg, something that would cement them as official assistant coaches.

They both helped out with the team last year, and they said there was no question about returning to make the volunteerism their official high school senior project.

"I think a lot more younger girls got interested when they saw older high school girls in the gym with them," Wynne said.

Near the start of the interview, I asked a possibly-way-too-direct question: "This doesn't have to be on the record, but how much of this are you doing because you love it or is this just because you need to have a senior project?"

They both answered at the same time: "Because we love it," though actually Andrews said, "100% because we love it."

For both of them, this love comes from seeing the little ones they coach grow in passion and ability throughout the season.

"My favorite thing is when they say, 'thank you,'" Andrews said. "When they say, 'what you did really helped me.' It makes me so happy. I get super excited because I love seeing the girls smile and grow into the passion for volleyball that I have."

For Wynne, she enjoys seeing the young players hit the same milestones that she remembers achieving at their age.

"I love when it clicks and they get it. Because I remember myself hitting that skill and how proud I was and how excited I was."

But neither of the seniors plan on wrapping up their volleyball careers just yet.

After graduation, Andrews will head to Central Oregon Community College. There she intends to play on the Bobcats' club volleyball team before hopefully transferring to Oregon State University.

She hopes to get a degree in pediatric nursing, a career inspired by her experiences working with kids, both at preschool and in a babysitting role.

"I just like helping families," she said. "And I want to be able to help those who can't really afford it."

Her plan is to stay in Oregon for her education, but don't be surprised if the next time you hear from her, she's in Colorado.

"Colorado has always been my dream place to visit," she said. "I even did a project on it in fifth grade."

In the meantime, if she's looking for someone in Colorado to visit, that shouldn't be too difficult. Durango, Colorodo, is exactly where Wynne will likely be this time next year after getting accepted into Fort Lewis College. However, she is waiting to hear if she will be able to play on their volleyball team before making a final decision.

She hopes to get her associate degree in health science before transferring, continuing with school, playing volleyball along the way and eventually attending a radiology program to study imaging.

"I've had a lot of imaging done and it's really interesting," she said. "I really like gaining knowledge when I'm there and I love anatomy."

Something that she enjoys about this career path is its flexibility, meaning she isn't locked into a specific role for her entire professional career.

"Everything's an option if you go into radiology," she said. "I don't want to be set in stone. I want something that has lots of windows."