Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent

When she first arrived in Richmond Hill, Kherington Babb welcomed the chance to play volleyball and other sports. Growing up, she didn’t always have the opportunity to do so.

“I started volleyball when I was 11 years old when we first moved to Richmond Hill,” said the sophomore. “My small town we lived in before didn’t offer many sports opportunities, so when we moved here I decided to put myself out there and try something new.”

Babb began playing volleyball, and she hasn’t regretted it. Yet there was an adjustment period, mainly with her own self-esteem.

“Volleyball for me has been a bit of a rocky journey,” reflected Babb. “I was struggling with feeling proud of myself and confident in my abilities but I finally began to break through that recently. It was when I realized I had gotten every goal I had been working for years to achieve.”

This season, Babb has stepped into a starting role for the Wildcats, and she has been a key contributor to their early success. Through their first seven games, Babb led the team in blocks (10) and was second in hitting percentage (.268).

Head coach Danielle Ennis has been impressed on how quickly Babb has acclimated to the lineup.

“She has really stepped into a starting role for us as a sophomore, and she has embraced that opportunity,” said Ennis. “ She’s a very talented middle who has quickly shown that she can compete at the varsity level. She’s an outstanding blocker, and she’s also become one of our most effective hitters.”

Ennis has high aspirations for her budding player as a result.

“In fact, she currently has one of the highest hitting percentages on our team, which says a lot about her efficiency and her ability to make smart decisions at the net,” added Ennis. “For a sophomore to have that kind of impact this early is exciting.

Before high school, Babb wrestled with the thoughts of what could be ahead, especially the expectations.

“In middle school there were so many memorable moments,” said Babb. “But as I’ve gotten adjusted into high school, I’ve met so many new people and built relationships that I never thought I have.

“At first when I made varsity I wondered if I had the abilities to live up to the standards I knew our coaches expected.”

Fortunately for her, Babb quickly began to understand the mental aspects of the game.

“The challenge was definitely more mental for me than physical,” noted Babb. “There was the fear of disappointing the people around me because I was younger than the other girls. But I worked to overcome that.”

Babb has benefitted by playing club volleyball, and she has seen the results.

“My team at Club Savannah has so many amazing coaches that prepared me for this physically,” said Babb. “They constantly challenged me in and out of club season to push myself to be the best I can be.”

Ennis sees a high ceiling for Babb, and the head coach expects her to raise her game as the season progresses.

“She’s continuing to grow in confidence and experience,” said Ennis. “I’m excited to see how much she develops as the season goes on.”