It’s been a great season for Kellie Farr, and a disappointing one just the same.
Farr’s been one of the best hitters in the state for Hartford’s volleyball team, which has struggled to a 6-16 record. Even as she’s killed ball after ball this year, the losing has dampened some of her enthusiasm for her personal accomplishments. She thinks she can play better.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” she said. “That’s why I feel like I’m not playing to my ability, is because we really can’t seem to get a win. I know the whole team’s trying and everything. We’ve definitely improved, I mean, for what our record was.”
Farr led the state in kills earlier this season and was in the top 20 last week, the last time coach Paul Cassity figured up the numbers. A junior who plays both middle and outside hitter, Farr has been a consistent threat to post impressive kill numbers. She had 14 in a loss to Waverly earlier this year at the Hartford Quad and posted 11 in a win over Crest in the same event. She also had 10 in a victory over Wichita Word of Life.
Cassity sees in Farr a happy-go-lucky girl who he thinks could stand to be more serious on the court at times, but he also sees a hard-working player with high expectations of herself.
“So I think sometimes she gets a little critical on herself, but a lot of kids are like that,” he said. “As a junior — we have three seniors, so I think they look to her to be a leader.”
The 5-foot-11 Farr also plays basketball for the Jaguars, but volleyball is her best and preferred sport. She wants to play at the college level and has already received letters from Cloud County and Barton County community colleges.
“I want to go D-1,” she said, “which, I know I might not make it right off the bat. But I’d like to try.”
Cassity said Farr has matured a lot since last year and still has room for improvement.
“She came around last year as a hitter for us,” he said. “For example, at our tournament, we played Berean Academy, which had a pretty good year last year, and we went three sets with them. And I think the biggest difference in that match was that their middle hitter was a senior, and my middle hitter was a sophomore.
“It was just that confidence level and that maturity level. And I see... Kellie gaining that as the season goes on.”