By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — After a strong junior year, Amy Garcia is being asked to do more for Weslaco High.
Outside of her responsibilities as a libero, the senior will be utilized more as an outside hitter, trying to make up for the loss of key contributors.
“Playing her all around, we get the best of both worlds now,” coach Anissa Garcia said.
The move was born partly out of necessity, with five seniors leaving. But the decision also bolds well for Amy Garcia, who hopes to showcase her talents to increase her college odds. With an added scoring punch — along with the digs she’s already expected to accumulate — Garcia can boost her profile.
Just last season, she emerged as an integral part of a Weslaco team that ended a five-year playoff drought by beating PSJA Memorial in a play-in game. She found her voice on a squad half-filled with seniors. And now she expects her message to resonate louder on the court and in the locker room.
“I’m excited,” said Garcia, an all-district second team selection in 2014. “I think we’re going to have a good year. There’s more confidence having made the playoffs. We’re working hard, and we want to get there again.”
Having to play four sets in the last match to earn a playoff berth “was really nerve-racking,” Garcia said. But the returning Lady Panthers will be leaning on that experience to guide a roster with two sophomores and the rest juniors.
Their goal remains the same this year — to make the playoffs, but with less of a scare.
In the process, Garcia will go through a bit of a learning curve, playing in the front row for the first time in her career. After a scrimmage this past weekend, Garcia got a taste of it playing three games in the Poundfest Tournament on Thursday, in which Weslaco went 1-2, sweeping Brownsville Lopez but losing to McAllen High and Edinburg Economedes.
Still, her coach is confident in the move, saying Garcia possesses the athleticism she desires from an outside hitter. Part of that stems from her activities, such as basketball, cheer and track and field.
She stays busy year-round, and the same held true this offseason, when she competed in a volleyball league in Edinburg, trying to refine her skills going into her senior season.
“She’s always pushing herself to get better,” Garcia, the second-year coach, said. “You have to admire that about her.”
Already a strong defensive player, Garcia worked on her conditioning during the offseason with her basketball coach. She ran up bleachers and lifted weights, and she filled her spare time with team-building activities, such as swimming or overnight visits with her group.
When word got out about her enhanced role, Garcia was excited. Though she understands there could be challenges along the way, she feels well-suited for her new role.
“You just have to be smarter,” she said. “You have to see the holes and see the opening, and it’ll be fine.”