Kennison Cota a leader on and off the court for Gridley High School volleyball | Prep Athlete of the Week

GRIDLEY — Sports have always come natural to Gridley volleyball captain Kennison Cota. Cota began swimming at the age of 5 and later played travel softball, but did not start competitive volleyball until high school.

Volleyball has quickly become Cota’s passion, being named a captain her junior and senior seasons after being named to the varsity squad her sophomore season — which was shortened due to the pandemic.

In her senior season Cota leads both the Bulldogs and the Butte View League in kills and hitting percentage. She leads the Bulldogs in blocks, digs and aces as a middle hitter as well.

She has one superstition and it is that when her mom braids her hair prior to a match, she knows she will play well.

Despite her all around success on the volleyball court, what head coach Liz Ayon believes is Cota’s strongest characteristic is her leadership ability.

Due to Cota’s success on the court and as a leader throughout the 2022 season, she has been named this week’s Chico Enterprise-Record’s Prep Athlete of the Week.

“She has a unique way to bring energy when the team needs it most,” Ayon said. “Her communication through each point and set and her ability to get the best out of those around her has been a quality that sets her apart.”

Cota credits learning to be the leader she is today to two leaders she learned from her sophomore season — Ally Mardesich and Elesia Fuentes — in addition to Ayon.

“(Ayon) just fits what I look for in a coaching style. She’s super passionate which makes me passionate,” Cota said. “She made me love volleyball and when I play I want to work hard and play better for her because she’s really inspiring and puts 100% into us, so I know I need to put 100% into every practice and every game.”

Off the court Cota is a leader as well, serving as the senior class president at Gridley High School while keeping up in the classroom with a 4.5 grade point average.

“I would say sports fed my leadership the most,” Cota said. “I’ve always been a natural leader in sports because of my talent, but that’s what brought out my other passion for being able to lead people.”

In addition to her role as class president Cota has served in leadership roles in the Future Farmers of America organization, including the chairman of activities in her chapter her junior year.

With FFA she’s shown animals, but found a love for public speaking. She began her freshman year where she was a state qualifier and her sophomore year she did persuasive speaking and won at the state competition. Her junior year she traveled to Indianapolis for the FFA National Convention where she competed in prepared public speaking, after winning awards at state for public speaking and an agriculture issues forum.

Cota was in Indianapolis once again Sunday. She said she loves FFA and grades seemingly come natural, but sports are where she feels most at home.

Despite succeeding off the court as well, Cota said she feels most like herself on the volleyball court. After thoughts of swimming at the collegiate level, she has shifted her mindset and has hopes of continuing her volleyball career at the collegiate level. She sees swimming as a lifestyle, but loves the intensity on the volleyball court.

“I love the competitiveness of the game and I love to win. Swim I don’t put as much pressure on the competition and so that’s kind of why my college interest in that has died down because I know I’ll be able to swim just for fun,” Cota said. “I definitely can say I feel most myself on the volleyball court. I’m super loud and energetic so that just lets me get it all out. I get to be so intense and that’s what I love the most.”