Just days away from her Bridgeport High School graduation, Emily Griffith signed off on the next stage of her educational and athletic quest. Monday, the first team All-State volleyball player signed a national letter of intent to attend Bethany College and be part of the Bison volleyball team, beginning with the fall 2016 semester.

 

“I just loved the campus,” said Griffith about the historic, liberal arts school located in West Virginia’s northern panhandle. “The buildings are beautiful and very classic – and it’s a very old campus.”

 

A four-year varsity starter who during her senior year also accumulated First Team All-County and Big Ten Co-Player of the Year honors, Griffith said that she likes the fact that she’ll be able to know her professors one-on-one and while visiting the school, she really clicked with the team and coaches.

 

“The current coaches are creating a very nice program at Bethany,” she said. “I left excited about being a part of it.”

 

During her high school career, Griffith totaled over 2,500 assists as the team’s varsity setter. In addition to honors already mentioned, she was named Second Team All-State in 2014, First Team All-Big 10 in 2013 and 2014. She is a charter member of the Mountain Rage Volleyball Club where she played five seasons, competing in numerous USA Volleyball tournaments including the USA Volleyball Beach Tour in 2015. 

 

Although she ran track as an underclassman, volleyball has always been her passion.

 

“It’s just a fantastic sport. It’s fun and there’s so much that happens at one time, it’s stimulating,” she said. “It’s more challenging than it looks from the outside, especially the mental aspect of it. It’s addicting.”

 

In addition to the sport itself – which she chose to totally focus on her junior and senior years at BHS – Griffith said she loves the volleyball community.

 

“I love going different places and trying to find the volleyball groups. There are rec groups everywhere that a lot of folks don’t know about,” she said. “It’s nice to step away from the hard competition – from the drills, practices and tournaments – and put the skills to use, have a good time and laugh. I think that’s really how I stay in love with the sport.”

 

Her senior year with BHS volleyball has definitely been the most memorable, she said.

 

“We had the best group of seniors and many of us had played together for seven years through travel volleyball,” she said. “It was really neat because we finally were able to step up as leaders. And we were expected to do that.”

 

When Griffith and Philip Barbour’s Jezaray Clark Casto were named Big Ten Co-Players of the Year, BHS Coach Ali Curry said not only did Griffith excel in the sport and her position, but she also had emerged as a good leader – a humble one.

 

Griffith took her responsibilities seriously.

 

“Last summer as I was coming back from FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) volleyball, I decided I didn’t want my senior volleyball season to be just about having a great athletic season,” she said. “So I texted Sydney Leatherman – who is a natural leader and to whom people are just drawn – and we got to talking about what we wanted to do with the team as far as leadership.”

 

The girls began a team bible study that brought the players even closer together, Griffith said.

 

Griffith regularly attends Horizons Church and through the church youth group, she went on a mission trip to Haiti just weeks ago, working with the Friends of Fort Liberte orphanage project.

 

“I think what I loved about it the most was getting to know the people, learning about their culture and being a part of it,” she said. “When you spend time doing life with people who live there, it’s amazing to experience that culture in a very personal way and learn how beautiful that culture is. Their sense of community is overwhelming – their generosity and how much they care for one another. It’s so touching. We see love and generosity here in America, but not on that scale. It’s such a part of them that by the time you leave, it’s a part of you in some small way.”

 

A four-year French student and member of the French Honorary, Griffith was able to utilize her language skills and communicate with the Haitian adults and children.

 

“They speak Haitian Creole, but they learn actual French in school,” she said.

 

Through the BHS French program, Griffith also traveled to Europe last summer, flying into Amsterdam and thereafter visiting Germany, Prague, France, Switzerland and Austria. During her senior year, she also served as secretary of the BHS Thespian Troupe and state director of chapter involvement for DECA. She is also a member of the Christ Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and bible study group.

 

When she entered her senior year of high school, Griffith said she had her sights set on pursuing a career as an actuary – a business professional who analyzes the financial consequences of risk. An actuarial science major would have required a lot of calculus and Griffith said she was up for the challenge. But her mind was changed.

 

“This is really the first year that I felt like I was in constant communication with God, really praying and accepting all the things he was speaking to me,” she said. “I looked at him for guidance and surrendered to that.”

 

At Bethany College, she plans to study religion and international studies in preparation for a career in Christian ministry.

 

Monday’s signing took place at the Nathan Goff Armory in Clarksburg. Griffith was accompanied by her mother and father Beth Ann and Brian Griffith (seated), along with former coaches Lawren Sandy (Mountain Rage), Tammy Calef (TLC Sports and Mountain Rage) Grant Burton and Ali Curry (Bridgeport High School).  

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top: Accompanied by family and coaches, Emily Griffith signs to play volleyball at Bethany College. Photo by Joey Signorellli; Griffith playing with the Lady Indians Volleyball Team; Griffith and her fellow Lady Indians after capturing the Region 2 title; Griffith and senior members of the team; Griffith and a group of travelers during last summer's EF Educational Tour to Europe through BHS.