Extra Effort: Kelsey Hussey is always there for Chatham Central volleyball
"I thank you for Kelsey and her awesome sets Lord," Mattie Caviness said to begin team prayer. The Chatham Central Bears girls volleyball team is about to play a game and it's hard to imagine them doing it without their captain Kelsey Hussey.
"She always does what's best for the team no matter what," Caviness said. "She always puts others before herself.
Caviness is one of Hussey's teammates. As a setter, Kelsey's position is defined by unselfishness.
"She's a good facilitator she runs offense well," Chatham Central volleyball coach Brett Walden said. "It's a very selfless position because you don't really get the fanfare that you really deserve."
A good setter finds a way to be in the right spots. Being present is a talent Kelsey has in the classroom as well. She has perfect attendance dating back to kindergarten.
"I think it shows my dedication to academics," Hussey said. "I play sports year round so I knew that if I didn't come to school I couldn't be there for my teams."
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic Kelsey always had her camera on ready to go for virtual class. Her dedication to her school work has her GPA at 4.57.
"Kelsey is very dedicated, if I gave her an assignment I can guarantee it was going to be done," Chatham Central English teacher Camille Hinshaw said. "She is a deep thinker, did not mind rigorous assignments and would work very hard to complete them to the best of her ability."
In addition to playing volleyball, softball and basketball at Chatham Central, Kelsey was her class president from ninth to eleventh grade. This year she was elected to an even higher position as Senior Board Executive President.
"Being able to be a leader," Kelsey answered when asked about what she likes about the role. "Getting to be able to make decisions and voice the opinions of our classmates."
Kelsey doesn't know where she will attend college next year, but wants to attend a four year university to study Psychology and possibly play volleyball as well. Her accomplishments on the volleyball court and in the classroom earned her WRAL's Tom Suiter Extra Effort Award. She hopes to continue her perfect attendance streak through graduation and has a simple message for any Chatham Central student who wants to follow in her footsteps.
"Never give up, it's kind of cliche but it's true," Kelsey said. "There have been days where I haven't felt like coming to school or days at practice where I might have been struggling, but just to know my team was there to support me really kept me going. You can succeed a lot if you just keep going."
