By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
Brownsville Rivera Lady Raiders volleyball player Clarissa Olivares signed with Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Wednesday.
“It did not hit me when I first got the offer,” she said. “Now that I have my old teammates coming in and seeing my parents next to me when I sign, that will open my eyes. I did it.”
Olivares said it took a long seven years to get to where she is at, but it was worth it in the end. A big inspiration for Olivares growing up was watching her sister, Bianca, play for volleyball for Brownsville Hanna.
“Watching her play when I was growing up gave me the love that I have for the sport,” Clarissa Olivares said. “I also want to thank the coaches here at Rivera for pushing me. I will have a close bond with them because of this sport.”
The All-Metro setter plans on studying sports management at the university located in Alva, Okla. She hopes to become a general manager of a sports team one day.
Olivares was pivotal in the capturing of the District 32-6A title her junior year, as well as three bi-district wins throughout her time at Rivera, coach Mary Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said.
“(Olivares) is a great player,” Avelar-Guerra said. “She is so dedicated and works hard. She was always at every practice we had, even in the summer.”
The leader also took time to train young players.
“She is a great leader, an inspiration to the younger girls and someone I could always count on,” Avelar-Guerra said.