Junior Landree Simon is one of Lakeland High School’s finest student-athletes. Simon has been on varsity for a total of three years for all sports she has participated in at Lakeland High School.
She plays volleyball, basketball and runs track. Being the six-foot-tall athlete she is, it makes playing basketball and volleyball easier to see over people to get a full view of the court.
“Working hard in practice and staying late after practice to work on different things,” Simon said.
Those are all things Simon has done to help maintain her varsity spot by putting in the work.
Maintaining a varsity spot requires consistent effort and dedication to improving your skills both on and off the court. It is important to communicate effectively with teammates and coaches to work together towards a common goal.
Her favorite parts of playing on varsity are playing with Addyson Hocking and Ziya Munyer. She also enjoys that her team can all have a good time together. She plays the outside position.
In volleyball, playing an outside position requires a combination of speed, agility, and power. As an outside hitter, you are responsible for attacking and blocking, so it is important to work on your jumping ability and hitting accuracy.
Additionally, you should focus on developing your defensive skills, as you will also need to be able to receive serves and dig balls. Communication with your teammates is key, as you will need to coordinate with the setter and other hitters to execute successful offensive plays.
“I think we are all good at individual things, but we need to come together on those individual things as a team and trust each other to work as a team,” Simon said.
There are a variety of factors that contribute to making a volleyball team better. Some important factors include strong communication, teamwork, and individual skills such as serving, passing, hitting, and blocking, which are all things Simon wants the team to come together on. It is also important to have a positive team culture and a supportive coaching staff.
Regular practice and conditioning can help improve physical abilities and endurance, while mental preparation and focus can also make a big difference in a team’s performance. Ultimately, a successful volleyball team is one that works hard, supports each other, and strives for continuous improvement.
Coming together is the best thing a team can do. Building off of the things everyone needs to work on only makes the team better. Simon, so far in her season, has a total of 134 kills, 13 blocks and 45 digs.
Playing sports with people players are comfortable with will make everything run smoother. Hocking and Simon’s friendship makes playing together much easier.
“She’s always someone to make me laugh and someone I can talk to,” said Hocking.
Simon is a great friend to many, as well as a dependable teammate.
Zyia Munyer also plays on the LHS’s varsity volleyball team with Simon and Hocking. Munyer describes playing sports with Landree as always a good time.
“Honestly, she brings so much humor to the team, and she brings such positive energy all of the time,” said Munyer. “I think she’s all good at sports. Honestly, she’s insane, but I think she’s really good at volleyball, but she doesn’t see it because she’s devoted a lot of her time to basketball, but overall, she’s really athletic.”
One crucial aspect of being a dependable teammate is being supportive and there for each other. It’s important to keep the team informed about what’s going on in the game and to be willing to listen to feedback from fellow players.
Additionally, a player needs to be reliable and consistent in their performance, always working to improve skills and contribute to the team’s success. By being a supportive and engaged teammate, players can help create a positive team dynamic and foster a strong sense of friendship on and off the court.
Simon plays club volleyball and travels all over the United States for her dedication to the sport. She is a dependable person and a reliable friend.
Simon is a driven student-athlete. As a student-athlete, it can be challenging to balance academics and sports, and Simon does great in both.
However, it is essential to prioritize education while still dedicating time and effort to athletics. It is crucial to maintain a strong work ethic both on and off the field to achieve success in all aspects of life, and she’s great at maintaining her busy sports and academic life.