Game seems to run through Hall’s blood

Chris Yemma

Some people might say Kiley Hall was destined to play volleyball. She

insists she isn’t.

Her mom says she’s been playing since before she was born. Hall

says she’s been playing since she was 11.

Well, it turns out, they’re both right.

Hall’s mom, Dale Keough, was playing volleyball when she was

pregnant with Kiley. In fact, her mom had an illustrious career,

playing for Corona del Mar High, Orange Coast College, the Los

Angeles Starlights and even a stint on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team

that boycotted the Moscow Games.

Even her dad was in on the volleyball scene, playing for OCC and

UCLA.

So one might say, Hall was created the perfect volleyball specimen

that carries the perfect volleyball genes.

So far, her credentials have been backing up that claim. A

three-year varsity player for Coach Dan Glenn’s Newport Harbor High

volleyball team, Hall is currently the team captain in her senior

year.

She has led the team to an 8-7 overall record and a 5-1 Sea View

League mark. The only loss in league was dealt by Woodbridge, ranked

No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division II-A.

And Hall wants her team to keep improving.

“My goal this year is to win league,” she said. “I also want to do

well in CIF and hopefully do the best as possible the rest of my

senior year.”

Hall and the rest of the Sailor squad will get another chance at

Woodbridge on Nov. 4, a match that will most likely determine the

final outcome in the Sea View League.

After high school, she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps

and play in college. Currently, she is looking at Texas A&M;, UC San

Diego and UC Santa Barbara as possible choices for the next level.

Glenn thinks she would make an excellent post high school player.

“She is somebody that’s got her best volleyball ahead of her,”

Glenn said. “She’s got a lot of room to improve, but she has gotten

better and better every year here.”

Hall likes to think she leads by example on the Sailor team. She

says that’s how she learned leadership -- through example, always

looking up to the players before her. She had to learn to be a leader

on this team.

“I’ve never had to take on that role,” she said. “I’ve always been

on teams where I’ve had people to look up to. But coach [Glenn]

helped me, and my teammates helped me to spread the roles out.”

But Hall isn’t just limited to the hard court. She also plays

soccer and runs on the 400- and 1600-meter relays in track. Her best

time in the 400 is 58.9 seconds, she her sophomore year. And she

plans to participate in both those sports her senior year.

Volleyball is her one true passion, though. With that bloodline,

it couldn’t be any other way.

“It’s a faster paced game than soccer, and you touch the ball

more,” Hall said. “The team atmosphere it creates is the best part

about it.

“Sharing winning moments, and even smaller things, like going to

movies and making friends that I’ve known a long time, are what make

it the best.”