Her life has been defined by two seemingly unrelated passions: volleyball and fashion.

For senior Addison Vary, these interests have not only coexisted but have shaped her identity. As she looks toward the future, she dreams of how these two worlds might intersect one day, creating opportunities for her to continue thriving both on the court and in design.

Addy’s journey with volleyball began in her local recreation league, with her mother as her first coach.

“We started playing with a few friends in the rec leagues,” Addy said. “I tried other sports, like basketball and dance, but volleyball had a special appeal. In basketball, I hated how physical it was, how they’d rip my nails off or they’d get scratched. In dance, I felt left out; I was the only sporty girl in the dance group. I wanted to be a five-star athlete, but I knew volleyball was always my passion.”

Addy’s love for volleyball only grew deeper. By the time she was in fifth grade, she joined a competitive club team. Once she got to middle school, Addison became a five-star athlete, participating in five sports. She made the varsity volleyball team her sophomore year as a six-rotation outside hitter —  a position she has held ever since. This year will be her third year on varsity and her ninth playing volleyball.

“My expectations for my players are pretty high,” head volleyball coach Rachel Buckley said. “They know that they represent Hebron Volleyball and that I do not take that lightly. I expect them to give 100% effort in everything they do whether [it’s] in the classroom, on the court or on the track/weight room. I expect them to put the team above themselves and protect each other like a family.”

Buckley said she expects her team to maintain good grades throughout the year. She said the team jogs instead of walking, and says “yes” instead of “yeah.” Buckley said Addy is a prime example of all these expectations.

“Tell Addy she can’t do something and I guarantee you she will prove you wrong,” Buckley said. “When Addy sets her mind to a goal, she is going to give all of herself until she reaches it. At the same time, her heart is so big and her light is so bright; she genuinely loves people and makes everyone feel special and included.”

Senior Katie Davidson, a close friend of Addy’s, highlighted her positivity and leadership on the court.

“If you watched her play, you’d be able to see her team spirit radiate out of her body and go to her teammates,” Davidson said. “She is always able to bring someone’s mood up if they miss a serve or forget to call the ball”

While Addy’s love for volleyball has led to her work ethic, her journey has been mentally and physically challenging. Addy said last school year was particularly difficult for her.

“I went through a really tough season last year,” Addy said. “Mentally, it was draining — four-hour-long practices and workouts before and after school. I had to lean on my friends and teammates. I learned that it’s about more than just the game — it’s about discipline, time management and perseverance. I’ve always had this strong support system through volleyball from my friends and coaches. It’s like volleyball has been something to lean on, especially when life gets tough.”

Yet, it was through these challenges Addy said she realized volleyball had become more than just a sport. Pushing through the season, she committed to Lenoir-Rhyne University in the spring, a Division II school in North Carolina, just an hour outside of Charlotte. Addy said she was a bit late to start the recruitment process, as she began at the end of her sophomore year. For women’s volleyball, you’re able to start talking to coaches on June 15 of your junior year, but before that, you’re basically emailing and reaching out to schools for months to even a year prior.

“The recruitment process was very annoying, and there were a lot of tears,” Addy said. “It feels like you are emailing a wall; you just send, send, send until that date pops up.”

Throughout all the tears, and stress of the process, she considered quitting. Addy said one person remained by her side through it all — her mom.

“My mom helped me a lot, especially with the motivation,” Addy said. “I told her: ‘I do not want to do this anymore,’ and she told me ‘No, you have to keep going. We have a tournament this weekend and colleges will be there to watch.’”

Addy said she feels immense relief after committing to her college. She said she was tired of the stressful process of contacting coaches, sending out emails and making calls. She no longer has to worry about finding the right school or standardized tests, let alone the college application process itself. Now, after being committed to Lenoir-Rhyne University for several months, Addy said she has formed great relationships with the coaching staff.

“The coaches are so heartwarming,” Addy said. “They’ve made me feel so wanted and [welcomed]. The assistant coach is the sweetest person ever; he calls me ‘little buddy,’ and he texts me after tournaments to say how great I did. I never got that appreciation from any other school.”

Addy often enjoys adding a “pop of color” to her outfits. In this photo, she wore red campus Adidas, adding what she describes as a “simple yet effective way to add a pop of color.” (Heidi Robson)

Addy’s love for fashion started at an early age, long before she ever stepped foot onto a volleyball court. Fashion was never just about putting together stylish outfits; it was about feeling confident and expressing herself.

“When I was little, I would make the craziest outfits from my mom’s closet and just play dress up all day,” Addy said.

This interest in fashion began to solidify during her early high school years when she took fashion design her freshman year and French during her sophomore year.

“I really got involved, and I thought, ‘Wait, I really like this,’” Addy said. “I began watching fashion week in Paris and Milan and took a French class. Taking French also really grew my passion for fashion, [because] I love the French style. They’re so classy, with their stripes and solid color pants.”

Today, Addy enjoys dressing up for school and planning outfits. She described her personal style as elevated and unpredictable.

“There’s no pattern to it,” Addy said. “I could be wearing a long maxi skirt with a tank top one day, and jeans with a blouse the next. It’s put together, but kind of whatever I feel like.”

It was in her sophomore year Addy started dressing up and exploring her style.

“The ongoing joke was, If I wore jeans, I would feel productive and more confident,” Addy said.  “So when I wore jeans to school, I would usually have a test or like a quiz. My teachers quickly started to pick up on it and it became a [ongoing] joke.”

Looking ahead, Addy envisions herself pursuing both volleyball and fashion at Lenoir-Rhyne University, combining the best of both her worlds.

Davidson said she has noticed the parallels between Addy’s passions.

“The easiest answer for both [her two passions] would have to be her excitement,” Davidson said. “She always gives her all for both whether she is putting her all into volleyball at seven in the morning or going the extra mile with her senior jeans, adding ruffles and glitter.”

Ultimately, Addy’s end goal is to get involved with the school’s merchandise department and help design more youthful and appealing apparel. Addy already has plans of what she might design.

“When I committed to the school, I was searching for cute shirts to wear in my commitment post, and I thought, ‘These are a little dated; I think I can do better,’” Addy said. “I want to bring more liveliness to the designs, incorporating things like picnic table boxer shorts, cute game day accessories and more gender-neutral options.”

As of now, Addy is already working to design the Hebron senior shirts and plans to do something similar at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“I want to help make the school’s merchandise more vibrant, youthful and inclusive,” Addy said. “For me, volleyball and fashion are both about confidence and creativity. On the court, it’s about pushing myself and being disciplined; in fashion, it’s about expressing who I am.”