Tyler Bednar is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com.

Near the end of Desert Mountain volleyball’s practice Oct. 18, the team was excitedly preparing for its matchup against second-ranked Cactus Shadows High School. Various teammates took turns offering tactics for each of the Falcons’ heavy hitters.

When senior libero Shaina Ross chimed in, everyone stopped talking and listened. You could hear a pin drop.

That’s how a leader controls practice.

Ross’ athletic journey began with both volleyball and softball. She stopped playing softball once high school rolled around to focus on volleyball.

“I felt like I had a better dedication towards [volleyball],” Ross said. “I wanted to be a part of the program. I knew Desert Mountain had a lot to offer.”

Desert Mountain volleyball assistant head coach Kyleigh Swinton first watched Ross play in 13U club volleyball. Swinton said Ross has shown a lot of progression.

“We’ve really seen her flourish and come to be the player she is this year overnight,” Swinton said. “It’s been really cool to watch her progression and see who she is now: leader on the court, captain on the floor, go-to player.”

When Ross was a freshman, she played on the freshman team. Injuries on the junior varsity team allowed her to move up later in her freshman season.

Ross’ journey on the JV team persisted through her junior year. She recalls her struggles playing on the JV team as a junior.

“Most of the people I had played with were moved up to the varsity level,” Ross said. “It didn’t feel like most people cared about [the JV] team.”

Both sophomore and junior year, she was captain of the JV team. Ross notes that her experience on the JV team helped prepare for varsity tryouts senior year.

Desert Mountain volleyball head coach Dana Achtzehn also noted a conversation during the summer that influenced Ross' preparation for varsity tryouts, too.

“The biggest thing we preached all summer was about mentally coming in through the door ready to play,” Achtzehn said. “We saw the light come on. All of a sudden, she was walking through the door with a purpose.”

Ross’ mental change greatly influenced her outlook on the sport. Still, she battled more adversity. She said during her junior year she was told to train as a defensive specialist because of her transition from an outside hitter to a back row player.

Ross entered her senior season as the starting libero on the varsity team. Ross said her new mentality helped her performance on the court, starting with the first game.

“I don’t think it was until the first game, playing libero and showing that it all came together,” Ross said. “It’s all about perception, you have to have a positive outlook on everything,”

Ross not only made the varsity team, she has excelled in her new leadership role both on and off the court. Watching the team practice, it was evident that Ross impacted the underclassmen, especially the sophomore class. There are eight sophomores on the varsity team.

“We joke around that the sophomores are my kids,” Ross said. “When I was younger, I always loved having older role models. I want to be someone that’s completely involved with the underclassmen. I always want to make sure they’re doing well outside of school.”

Not to mention, Ross has 520 digs this season, the most in 5A Arizona volleyball.

Achtzenh and Swinton both noted her intelligence as a player, which resulted in her excellent performance. Swinton says Ross was making so many plays to where the team needed her on the court for six rotations.

Swinton said she has never seen a player have such a great transformation over one summer.

“She walked in at the beginning of the summer, and she decided she wanted it,” Swinton said. “From then, she’s put in the work, put in the time, and she’s flat-out earned it.”

Ross and Desert Mountain begin the playoffs Nov. 1, hosting McClintock at 6 p.m.