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Nothing but net gains for Mitchell By Greg Stiles Kendra Mitchell wasn�t raised on youth soccer fields or Little League diamonds. Ballet was her thing back in grade school. So when Mitchell turned out for volleyball at Hedrick Middle School a few years back, her endeavor carried no great expectations. She made varsity as a seventh-grader and enjoyed the sport, but there were no illusions of grandeur or lofty goals. So when the North Medford senior signs a letter of intent today to play volleyball at the University of Portland, it�s not the result of a do-or-die attitude or because this was a dream born long ago. Rather, it was a matter of desire and the will to win that transformed Mitchell from another kid sitting on the bench to a leader of a perpetually strong Class 4A team. "What caught (the University of Portland�s) attention was her demeanor on the court and how strong of a competitor she was," North Medford coach Ron Beick says. "They commented to me about how hard she played and how excited she was on the floor." (NCAA rules prevent Portland coach Doug Sparks from commenting on a recruit until after he receives a letter of intent.) Mitchell arrived at North Medford without fanfare. She was considered a role player and spent more time on the court in practice than in matches. "I spent the whole time on the bench my freshman and sophomore years," she says. But something transpired between her junior and senior years; her skills began to click. Enough so that Beick, who has coached 95 players that continued on to the collegiate level, recognized major-college potential. The 5-foot-11 middle hitter began channeling long-standing aggressive gamesmanship into a steady stream of points and sideouts. "I hate losing and love winning," Mitchell says. "I�ve always been that way. When I was little, playing games with my friends, I always wanted to win." When she made the Hedrick volleyball team she finally had a physical outlet for the competitive energy. "I think it surprised my parents," she says. "I think they thought it was just another thing Kendra was doing � like ballet. But it became a lot more serious." Mitchell earned first-team Southern Oregon Conference all-star honors last fall after recording 207 kills and 71 stuff blocks for points or sideouts. "One of her strengths is to sustain her enthusiasm," Beick says. "We played a match at Grants Pass last year that wasn�t that meaningful. A lot of players struggled, but she was on top of her game and was the reason we controlled the match. Her consistency was the key." Although North Medford failed to achieve all that it hoped for in the state tournament at Portland�s Chiles Center, Mitchell�s efforts didn�t go unnoticed. Kent State, Boise State, Seattle Pacific, Lewis and Clark State of Idaho, Western Baptist and Western Oregon all showed interest. Kent State was attractive but half a continent away. She visited five Northwest schools and found herself torn between Portland and Seattle Pacific, a top NCAA Division II school. "When I went to the other schools, I asked the players if they would come here again if they had a choice," Mitchell says. "Some said no. But I can�t think of anyone that said anything negative about Portland. It was not because they were on a full ride, they wanted to be there." And Mitchell decided to join them. "It�s a school with high academic standards," she says. "That�s important because when I get out of school, I want to get a good job. And it was important what kind of people that I would be surrounding myself with. It�s a really gorgeous campus. Nike sponsors the team and they�re treated like princesses." Mitchell watched the team go through a workout and looks forward to earning a spot in the rotation. "It�s hard to see how I�ll fit in," she says. "But I definitely see myself playing as a freshman. I�m competitive and can see myself beating someone out." Whether she ends up being an undersized middle or an outside hitter remains to be seen. "They like it that I�m athletic," she says. "They want someone who can pop the ball and not just stand there and let balls fall." Mitchell is playing club volleyball in preparation for tournaments in Reno, the Bay Area and Davis, Calif. In July, she�ll play a pair of matches in the State-Metro All-Star series at Chemeketa Community College in Salem and at David Douglas High School in Portland. In the meantime, Mitchell is a member of the Black Tornado�s track team and has her sights on the North long jump record of 16-7. "I�ve gone 16-9 in practice," she notes. "I just have to do it in a meet." Given her desire to win, it�s only a matter of time. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4483, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.