Through all the chaos and noise on a volleyball court, River Bluff senior setter Alexis Jodie is a calming presence. When she’s on the floor, the team knows they are in good hands. 

As a setter, Jodie may not be scoring the points, but she touches the ball before almost every River Bluff attacking opportunity. It’s her job to get the ball to the heavy hitters, and she’s one of the best at it.   

“I want my hitters to get the credit,” Jodie said. “ If they're doing a good job, that means I'm doing my job correctly. If they're being successful and their stats are showing up, mine are gonna come. That's just how it is. As long as they're doing well, I'm going to be doing well, and as long as the team's doing well, that's what matters.”

Jodie prides herself on being a team player. She joined the Gator varsity team in eighth grade and has been racking up assists ever since, with over 4,000 to date. 

During that time, she went from an inexperienced new girl to a seasoned veteran and captain of a team entering the postseason with a limitless ceiling. 

River Bluff begins its playoff journey next week after earning a first round bye by winning its region. Jodie is hoping the team can return to the state finals for the first time since her eighth grade season, when she was the setter in the big game. 

“ We lost in states, and that has been the only time we’ve gotten to states,” she said. “When I was in eighth grade, I was like, ‘Oh, this is easy. Everyone must do that,’ and I haven't been back since.”

Jodie is hungry to get back to the championship game in her final season. 

When she played in eighth grade, she was just beginning her volleyball journey. She did not yet understand the rigors of varsity volleyball, having only played for a few months. In fact, it was only her second year of playing volleyball at school at any level. 

Jodie started her athletic career as a softball player and played that until she was about 14. At around age 12 she began playing volleyball, looking for local clinics and camps to attend.

She played one year of middle school volleyball before trying out for and making the high school varsity team in eighth grade. 

“ I just love how fast paced it is. There's always action no matter what position you play,” Jodie said. “Super loud, super exciting. I'm just like, all the quickness, all the energy, I think is really fun.” 

Volleyball is now a year round activity for Jodie, who also plays for the Carolina Rouge club team. 

High school and club volleyball, while similar, have their differences that make the dynamics unique during each season. 

“ I'd say the biggest difference is club, you only practice three days a week, so a little bit of a break there, and then you go super far away for all your tournaments,” Jodie said. “But I always think it's fun coming to play high school because your club teammates go to different high schools, and you could see them even when you're not playing club.”

While a year-round volleyball schedule can be exhausting, for Jodie the loss of free time is worth it. 

“ People are like ‘you don't get a break,’ but like volleyball is like what I do,” she said. “I can't imagine going to school and then leaving when the day's over. Practice is just part of my day. I love it and I enjoy it.”

It’s not all volleyball all the time, though. She does find time to have other hobbies. 

Jodie enjoys spending time with her family, including her sister who also plays volleyball and is a setter. Sports were introduced to them at a young age and has become a form of family bonding. They enjoy many games together, including football where Jodie cheers on her favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

She has another hobby that most people in the area have never experienced. In the summer, Jodie makes trips to the beach to surf.

“I  like to go to Folly Beach. I think that's the best surfing spot around here,” Jodie said. “They’re not huge waves like California or whatever, but beginner waves that are good enough for me.” 

Before she can hit the waves next summer, Jodie has to get through this volleyball season and her senior year at River Bluff. Her goal remains the same: lead the team to the state championship game, and hopefully, see a different result than her eighth grade year.

“ I think in my five years, this has really been the most fun team to like play with,” she said. “ Maybe we're not all friends off the court, but when we're on the court, it's like we don't skip a beat. We're all best friends, and we all just understand the goal, and we're all going to do everything we can to accomplish that.”

After that, Jodie is set to attend Campbell University and play Division I volleyball for the Camels. She also hopes to major in psychology, with a future working in sports psychology. 

“ I love the kind of behind the scenes work, what it takes mentally to be that high level of an athlete,” she said. “To help them go out there and accomplish all those goals and meet their needs, I think that'd be a lot of fun.”