Outside the Tribe: Smell's All-Around Play on Volleyball Court Leaves Plenty to Smile About
By Chris Johnson on November 06, 2024 from Outside the Tribe
There was a moment in the Bridgeport volleyball team’s regular-season finale where Myleigh Smell timed a pass from a teammate perfectly, elevated and appeared ready to send down the type of thunderous hit she is well-known for.
However, she spotted an opening on the opposition’s side of the net where a gentle tap was a better option for a Bridgeport point.
“A lot of people say I have really good court vision,” Smell said. “I think I do, and that’s a big part of it and you don’t have to slam the ball to ground every single time.
Mere seconds later, the same scenario developed but this time Smell sent down a kill with such force that one might think there was a dent on the BHS gymnasium floor.
Keeping in mind that Smell just established the fact that the ball doesn’t have to be sent down with that much authority every time, she was asked, “But it’s pretty cool when you do send one down that hard, right?”
She laughed and said, “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
Court vision, well-placed hits and thunderous kills are just part of her all-around skill set – a skill set so well-rounded that plenty of people, myself included, consider her the best all-around player in the state.
Prior to the Indians’ Class AAA Region I co-final against Hampshire, Smell’s statistics this year include 575 kills, 354 digs, 68 aces, 53 blocks and 26 assists.
She recently surpassed 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
During Ali Burton’s successful tenure as head coach for BHS, the only two other players to reach 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs are Kristen Crowder and Shea Hefner.
Smell is the reigning Big 10 Conference Player of the Year, was a finalist for state player of the year in 2023 and earned first-team all-state honors last year – all accolades she will be in contention for again in her senior season.
Smell is such a good volleyball player that I think one could make a strong case that no student athlete at Bridgeport High School is better at their sport than she is at volleyball.
And it’s not like there isn’t a ton of competition on that front and not just in the hallways at school.
Myleigh is just one of the Smell triplets who have found success on the athletic front. Her sister, Bria, was a major reason the BHS girls soccer team was 17-4 and advanced to the Class AAA Region I championship game. Her brother, Ethan, was one of the top runners for the BHS cross country team.
All three are also accomplished track and field athletes in the spring. And their parents, Jeff and Cyndy, were both standout collegiate athletes at Alderson Broaddus.
“They are my best friends,” Myleigh said of her siblings. “Growing up with my Mom and Dad having played sports in college, it’s been a big part of our lives. That’s been our goal to follow in their footsteps. Having two best friends who are playing sports at the same time in your own house, you have someone to talk to that knows what you are going through. It’s been amazing.”
Myleigh Smell’s statistics are impressive on the surface or any other way you look at them but they still only begin to scratch that surface.
When talking about Smell, Burton often points out intangible aspects like leadership, competitiveness and the ability to have short-term memory on the court.
That last one can be a little tricky. A volleyball match can be a mental rollercoaster. Momentum changes multiple times at the drop of a hat so the ability to not let a mistake linger is paramount.
Myleigh Smell may be the best volleyball player in the state but she is not perfect. No player is. Her timing will be off on a hit occasionally. She will sometimes serve a ball into the net. Every once in a while an attempt at a dig will go the wrong way off her hands.
But her ability to put a bad play quickly in the rearview mirror is second to none.
“This sport is such a mental game,” she said. “You have to let that mistake go because at the end of the day you can’t do anything about it.”
To top it all off, everything she does on the volleyball court, she does with a smile on her face.
“I love this game with all my heart,” Smell said. “I’m a competitor but I’m a smiley person so I just can’t help but smile when I’m out there playing.”
Smell admits reaching 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs in the same season was an exciting achievement and a goal but there is only one goal that really matters – a state championship.
The Indians are 48-8-2 heading into Thursday’s match with Hampshire. No school in the state has more victories. The Indians’ regular-season schedule was arguably the most brutal in the state and they navigated it well.
Of the 16 schools left in each class that are in co-regional championship action this week, Bridgeport has played 24 of them, including 10 in the remaining Class AAA field. They have not lost to a Class AAA school this year.
A win against Hampshire on Thursday would secure a spot in the state tournament for BHS and the Indians will almost certainly be the top-seeded team if it wins the co-regional.
That’s the goal for Smell and her teammates. That’s the goal for Burton. That’s the reason the regular season schedule was so tough.
And keep in mind, this is not a situation where Myleigh has to carry the team on her back.
Salam Rajjoub has had a breakout junior season and is an all-state caliber player. Kaylee Enfield is everything a team needs in a libero and recently joined Smell in the 1,000-career dig club.
Calleigh Morgan and Taylor Randolph are forces at the net. Addison Veigel has emerged as a standout setter. Kennedy Wolfe and Samantha Martin do a little bit of everything. Kloey Martinez is a defensive spark plug.
Every player in Bridgeport’s primary rotation contributes. Combine that with a leader who is the best player in the state, that’s a recipe for something that may lead to the biggest smile yet.
Editor's Note: Photos of Myleigh Smell by Joe LaRocca.
