GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) - For Museum High School’s Alana Mortensen and Jazzlynn Calderon, being an Ottawa Hills volleyball player means learning how to make every hour count. Mortensen, a senior outside hitter, starts her day in the Nurse Technician Program at Kent Career Technical Center, while Calderon, a junior outside hitter, begins hers in KCTC’s Auto Collision Program. Different programs and different schedules, but by afternoon, their paths lead to the same place: the Ottawa Hills volleyball court.
Mortensen arrives at Museum around 9:30 a.m. for AP Economics, AP Biology, senior capstone, and an online psychology course through Grand Rapids Community College. Calderon’s school day includes AP Literature, AP Economics, advisory, and an online College Algebra course through GRCC.
By about 4:00 p.m., the two are back together. Mortensen helps set up the net, Calderon arrives by bus, and practice begins at 4:30 sharp. For the next three hours, everything else on their calendars takes a back seat to volleyball.
For Mortensen, that is exactly what makes the sport her favorite part of the day.
“Volleyball is where I can relax and be in my zone,” she said.
Calderon finds a similar escape in the sport. After playing with many of the same girls for years, volleyball has given her a place to build relationships while also pushing herself outside her comfort zone.
Their routines are both demanding, so each player has developed her own way of managing that pressure. Mortensen depends on a color-coded calendar to keep track of school, volleyball, work, and personal time. Calderon works her schoolwork around the fixed schedule of volleyball, sometimes using weekends to catch up when unexpected things throw off her plans.
Their weekends look a little different, but both make an effort to stay connected to the people and activities outside of volleyball. Mortensen spends her weekends at tournaments and working at a children’s clothing store, while Calderon prioritizes time with family and friends. Sundays are especially important for Calderon, as her family gathers for breakfast as a way to recap their week.
That balance between volleyball and life outside the court is part of what makes their Bengals experience so meaningful. Both have found a sense of community on a team made up of players from different schools, backgrounds, and grade levels. For Mortensen, that community has become a “family-oriented experience,” while Calderon values the opportunity to bond with teammates and meet new people.
After practice, both return home and finally slow things down.
Their days are busy, but volleyball is not simply another item on their calendars. It is the common thread running through their days, providing a place for students to come together, compete, and build community.
For Mortensen and Calderon, the long days are part of the commitment—but so is the sense of belonging waiting for them on the court.
