Amare Hernandez loves to perform. She sings, she dances and she acts.
She’s one eye-opening performer on the volleyball court, as well, where she can dominate the stage.
Because of her performance this past season, Hernandez has been named The Monitor’s All-Area Volleyball Newcomer of the Year.
The 5-foot-11 outside hitter exploded on to the high school volleyball scene this year, doing things freshman generally don’t do at that age. On a team of big hitters and blockers, Hernandez stood equally tall and strong as the Mustangs won the District 30-5A title with an unblemished record and advanced to the third round of the playoffs.
For the season, one cut in half or more by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hernandez amassed 125 kills, just one behind senior Natalie Silva and three behind team leader Jocelyn Fernandez with 128. Those kills did not come easily for any Memorial attacker as the team spread the wealth better their competition in the Rio Grande Valley. Six different heavy-handed Mustangs hammered away to a tune of 64 or more kills for the season. McAllen High and Sharyland Pioneer were the closest comparison in the Valley — with three hitters at 64 or more kills.
Memorial second-year head coach Ashley Doffing said she first noticed Hernandez in the offseason, as she would attend the strength and conditioning program, once they were finally allowed to begin due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“I was pretty excited when I saw her there,” the 5-foot-10 Doffing said. “Of course when someone can look me straight in the eye, I definitely take notice.”
The Mustangs were not only rich in upperclassman talent. Four freshmen also saw plenty of playing time throughout the season. Doffing recalled how the team was separated by classes, due to COVID restrictions. The upperclassmen had finished their part of practice when young guns took to the floor.
“I told them to just watch,” Doffing said. “They (upperclassmen) were taking off their shoes and the young ones started hitting and suddenly they started putting their shoes back on to go play.”
Hernandez — who went to Cathey Middle School in McAllen, a Memorial feeder school, in eighth grade —attended STPA in seventh and eighth. She started volleyball, however, as a second-grader and is the oldest child in a competitive and athletic family.
“I love the hard work and I like getting better,” she said when asked what she enjoyed about volleyball. “I didn’t know what to expect (as a freshman) and a lot of people were telling me that a lot of freshman don’t make varsity and I didn’t want to mess up but I knew that it was OK to mess up, everyone makes mistakes. It was a lot of pressure though and I think that made me play better.”
Hernandez showed age didn’t matter, as the 15-year-old took over games at certain points, hitting the ball with such a fluid approach that when she hit the ball, the world seemed to suddenly jump to fast forward. She knocked more than one defender backwards with her thunderous attacks.
“I’ve told her, ‘You are one of the slowest quickest people I’ve ever met,’” Doffing said. “Its like she’s moving in slow motion to get to the ball then triple speed when she gets it. The ball definitely sounds different coming off her hands and I love the way she’s able to hit the off balls. It seems she works the best with those.”
Hernandez, whose father played soccer and golfs and whose mother ran track, while also playing volleyball and basketball, said that maybe the toughest thing for her as a freshman was feeling as she belonged. She had seniors and junior who were as big or bigger and with plenty of experience while also dealing with freshman breathing down her neck also pushing her.
“Yeah I had friends on the team but there was a lot of competition and when the time came, it was volleyball mode and I needed to focus 100% on that.”
“This team was very competitive amongst themselves and I told them we are very blessed that the biggest competition we have is wearing the same jersey,” Doffing said. “She cares so much about her performance and not wanting to disappoint and she’s definitely hard on herself. But that comes with time, being able to focus on the good — and that’s a life lesson that sports teaches you.”
Hernandez also runs track – the 400, 200 and, of course, the high jump.
Before deciding to take the volleyball path, she also performed in plays at middle school, danced for six years and sang.
I’m sure I’ve seen her dance during practice, and it would be exciting to see her in a play,” Doffing said. “She told me about her high jumping and I’m looking forward to see that. I can imagine it because she is so technical. You can even hear her sometimes saying, ‘step, step, jump,” when she’s getting a set.
Then everything moves at triple speed as she put everything behind her attack and, more often than not, notches another of what may be many more kills to follow.”