Makenzie Noles never has to worry about coming up with an icebreaker for an event or struggling to think of something interesting about herself. She may be from the deep South, but she has interesting roots.
“My mom is from Canada,” Makenzie says. “She grew up there and then moved to Muscle Shoals her sophomore year of high school.”
Though from time to time she still visits family living in the Toronto area, Makenzie, a senior volleyball player at Athens High School, has plans to move south instead of north after she graduates next May, as she will continue her volleyball career at Wallace-State Community College (WSCC) in Hanceville, Alabama, for head coach Randy Daniel.
“I really like Coach Daniel,” Makenzie says. “His expectations are really high, which is something that everybody needs, no matter how self-disciplined you are. You always need a good coach to push you to your limits.”
Makenzie also cites the proximity of Hanceville and the sisterhood of the team as deciding factors on her college choice, stating “their team reminds me a lot of our team…they have a very supportive group.”
A middle blocker and outside hitter for Athens volleyball, Makenzie helped guide the 33-14 Lady Golden Eagles to the AHSAA Super Regionals this past season. She amassed 115 aces, 410 kills, 82 blocks, and 423 digs over her career while becoming an All-Area selection and being named captain of the team. She is coached in volleyball at AHS by Whitley Berryhill.
Stressing the importance of academics in the life of a high school athlete, Makenzie says, “Well, I’ve always been told by coaches and family, it’s student-athlete, not athlete-student.” She holds a 3.8 overall GPA at Athens, is involved in Pi Beta Sigma, Beta Club, and National Honor Society, and says her favorite subject is science. She plans on studying pre-nursing at WSCC.
Being a student-athlete at AHS has strengthened her in a variety of ways and provided a place for her to develop lifelong friendships. “I love the family culture Athens provides,” Makenzie says. “My teammates are my bsfs (best sister friends) on the court, but we are even closer off of it.”
The daughter of Jamie and Matthew Noles, Makenzie says that in her spare time she loves to travel and hang out with friends.
In the end, it’s obvious that Makenzie is a person who values relationships and loves to be a part of a team. With that winning attitude, she will be a great asset to any organization she is a part of in the future. TG
Photos by Al Blanton. A special thanks to our sponsor, Engel & Volkers Limestone!
