Sanchez leads Lady Bobcats

EDINBURG - Deanna Dominguez can't imagine a season without Jenetta Sanchez.

Sanchez, a 17-year-old senior, has started for Dominguez's Edinburg High Lady Bobcats since her freshman season. And during that time, Dominguez has watched Sanchez grow from a shy freshman to a hands-on leader and role model for her volleyball team.

"She's the epitome of a student athlete," Dominguez said. "She sets the standard.

"If my two kids turn out to be half the person she is, I'll be a happy mother."

And there's a reason for the coach's high praise of Sanchez.

Along with leading the Lady Bobcats to a 19-9 overall record and a second-place finish in District 31-5A this season, Sanchez is considered one of the top setters in the Rio Grande Valley. Sanchez also dedicated her summer - with the exception of one missed workout for a family trip outside of the Valley - to the team's conditioning program.

Sanchez, however, wasn't necessarily at the gym each day for herself, as she also was there mentoring younger players.

"I was in their shoes four years ago," said Sanchez, who hopes to concentrate solely on academics at Notre Dame in the fall and eventually find a career as a cardiologist or orthopedic. "I realize I'm not going to be here forever. You know, I know this is it for me. Chances are I'm not going to play volleyball in college. This is pretty much it for me, and then I'll begin a new chapter of my life."

Brianna Detwiler has been on the receiving end of Sanchez's mentorship.

"She's always there for us," the freshman junior varsity play said. "If we need anything, she's there.

"We see her, and we think that could be us out there."

As Sanchez shyly recalls, she went through her share of growing pains as a freshman, such as the Valley View Border Spikefest. Sanchez, whose role as setter revolves around distributing the ball, suffered a setter's nightmare at the tournament when an expected ball deflected off her shoulder and to the gym floor. It's still a moment that makes Sanchez turn red in embarrassment.

More importantly, it's a moment that allows her to relate to the younger players in the Lady Bobcats' program.

"That's the last thing you want as a setter. That's what you hope never happens," Sanchez said. "But it did, and you live and move on from those mistakes. I've been through it all. And next year there's going to be someone out there that replaces me, and I honestly hope they do a better job at my position than I did. To me, it's all about this program. That's what matters.

"This program will be here way after I leave."

Wade Baker is the Executive Sports Editor for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4450 or via e-mail at wbaker@themonitor.com.