By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial middle blocker Elise Fourt made a big splash in her varsity debut season.
The sophomore recorded 139 kills and 28 aces in 11 games to lead the Lady Chargers offensively as they won their District 32-5A zone and clinched a co-district championship. Her consistent contribution as an offensive threat all across the net earned her the title of The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro volleyball offensive player of the year.
“I’m super honored to get this award at such a young age and get individually noticed,” Fourt said. “But I’m only as good as my team. This award is a reflection of how good my team is and how well we work together. My coaches really helped me improve my game and my mentality, and all around I think it was a good year for us and I’m really honored to be put up for these awards.”
Lady Chargers coach Lisa Mares said Fourt’s team-first mentality is just as beneficial as her deep skill set. She’s a natural hitter with a powerful swing, but she also contributes in other ways. Fourt recorded a team-high 25 blocks and 68 digs in 2020, and she was selected as District 32-5A Zone B’s most valuable player.
Mares said the awards will make the already driven Fourt even more motivated to be at her best as a junior. And when Fourt sets a goal, she reaches it. Mares recalled Fourt expressing concern about her serving efficiency as a freshman, so she worked on her craft and ended up with a lethal jump serve that often strung together aces for the Lady Chargers.
“I’m very happy for her and excited for her future,” Mares said. “Getting this as a sophomore is awesome and just pushes her to try to get something better. Knowing there’s still a lot of room for improvement, it’s just going to make her a better player. She’s that kind of athlete where she’s very determined and she always wants to improve.”
Improving her demeanor on the court and not getting down on herself for mistakes is something Fourt is focusing on for next year. She and Mares are also talking about limiting hitting errors and being smarter on the attack by knowing when to tip or to do a different type of hit than her natural, booming shot that falls inside the 10-foot line.
Additionally, Fourt is working on her back row defense because she wants to be an all-around player. She has goals of leading her team to state and winning more district honors and an All-Metro most valuable player award, and Mares is confident Fourt will do the work to get what she strives for.
“She’s already talked to me about wanting to play back row, and that’s Elise. There’s always going to be something she wants to work toward, something she wants to perfect. It speaks volumes about her drive,” Mares said.
Fourt and Mares have a strong relationship, which helps foster the player’s development. Fourt said her coaches and teammates have helped her mature and bring positive energy to the court, and she’s hoping to continue progressing in that way to be a leader for her team and make her coaches proud.
“The people that helped me the most during the season are definitely my JV coach from last year, coach (Nuvia) De La Fuente, and my varsity coach (Lisa) Mares,” Fourt said. “Throughout my freshman year, Coach De La Fuente really guided me and mentally prepared me for my varsity experience. Coach Mares is always there for me and very, very patient with me when I get frustrated with my mistakes. She doesn’t only make me a better player, she makes me a better person.”