When junior outside hitter Emani’ Foster arrived at Charlotte in 2020, she came across as an unassuming young lady. Coach Karen Weatherington said the team “didn’t really hear a peep out of her” that first year.
Foster would attend class, go to practice, go back to her dorm room and study, and there is a lot of study time required for a pre-med major. There wasn’t, however, much about her personna that made her stand out.
But her volleyball skills …
Foster is one of the most accomplished girls volleyball players in North Carolina high school history. She was the first in the state to record 2,000 career kills, and, this summer, Vance County High School retired her number and gave her a banner in their gymnasium. Foster addressed a group of athletes during her visit and said she told them to chase their dreams and do what they love doing.
Foster is following her own exhortation. Foster, who at 5-foot-10 can touch 10-6, averaged 4.15 kills per set (282 total) as a freshman and hit .283.
And it wasn’t long before her coach and teammates found out there was personality to go with the power.
“When I first met her, I pictured her to be very quiet and shy,” said 49ers senior setter Annika Wetterstrom, “and all of a sudden, we’d be in a timeout, and she’d start busting down these (dance) moves that you wouldn’t expect.
“But it gets the whole team laughing and brings some good energy.”
Added Weatherington: “As we’re switching sides, it’s not unusual to see Emani’ do ‘The Griddy.’ ”
Foster laughs a semi-embarrassed laugh when asked about her dance moves, but doesn’t deny doing them. She said it’s all about staying loose and keeping her teammates loose during tense matches.
And she has loosened up in terms of her willingness to be vocal. The way she saw it, she had no choice but to come out of her shell.
“It was a difficult transition because I’m usually quiet on the court,” said Foster, a junior who carries a 4.0 GPA in her major. “I used to just do what I did, and there wasn’t much communication. But in college, you kind of have to. Everybody needs to know what you’re doing. We all have to be on the same page, and communication just helps the team chemistry.”
Added Wetterstrom: “I think it’s just coming into her personality and realizing that she can be more of a vocal leader, and she’s done…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Volleyballmag.com…