Miss Volleyball Spotlight: Bloomfield Hills peaking in Rousseau’s senior year

Alexa Rousseau wouldn’t call her junior year a lost season, but the odds definitely were stacked against her. A health issue forced a coaching change in the summer of 2018 for the Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks, and the program wasn’t able to get out of the starting blocks under a new system with a lot of young talent on the roster. Rousseau still played her way to Third Team All-State honors in Division 1, but the Black Hawks struggled their way to a record just over .500 while exiting early in the postseason. Rousseau and coach Larry Wyatt knew the Black Hawks were capable of much more. Over the last 12 months, Wyatt and his squad have bonded together and shown their potential in 2019, establishing themselves as one of the best in Division 1. “Last year I got the job late and we were really just trying to piece things together on the fly and it was unfortunate for all the kids because they really didn’t have much time to try and learn to play the way I wanted them to play,” Wyatt said. “This year, it’s just been off the charts because we’ve been able to focus on the details and Alexa knows exactly what I want from her and the rest of the team. A lot of times I don’t even need to say a word to her, she knows what I am thinking.” As the Black Hawks have flourished, Rousseau has also had her best season. The 6’3” left-handed setter has truly established herself as an elite player while also earning a spot as a finalist for the Miss Volleyball Award. “It’s a very well-known and prestigious award and I was really humbled to hear I was a finalist,” Rousseau said. “I know the award isn’t just about who you are on the volleyball court, but also who you are in the community and in school. Being recognized for that is something really special to me.” Rousseau has been on the national volleyball radar since she was a freshman. Her ability to excel in all phases of the game while possessing the size she does at setter makes her a rare talent. Normally a player of her size would be pushed toward hitting at a young age, but Rousseau took the advice of her club coaches and embraced the setter position. “I had a lot of trust in my coaches, so I knew whatever position they felt was best for me was where I should play,” Rousseau said. “They had the experience to recognize where my skills could be best utilized and I was still fairly new to the game, so I never second-guessed being a setter. I went into with an open mind and it has turned out pretty well for me.” The Northwestern-bound Rousseau already had a big reputation when Wyatt took over the Bloomfield Hills program. She had amassed over 1,500 assists, 450 kills, 300 digs, 100 blocks and 100 aces over her first two years as a varsity player. Despite the strong statistics, Wyatt was most impressed with how willing Rousseau was to better herself under a new coach. “It’s so hard when you are a player of her talent level to improve as much as she has in the last year,” Wyatt said. “She was a really good player last year, but this year she is just playing so well. It’s really been off the charts in every skill. She really worked on the things I wanted her to work on and made them strengths.” While Rousseau still had a very strong junior year with 886 assists, 433 kills, 219 digs, 154 aces, and 118 blocks, she was quick to admit that the 2018 campaign was very stressful given the sudden changes at coach. “(Coach Wyatt) joining us so late into the year really created some chaos for us,” Rousseau said. “We had a lot of young girls coming up to varsity and had to learn a completely different style than what we were doing before. It added a lot of stress to the players.” That stress has gone away in 2019, as Rousseau and the Black Hawks have a trust for one another and have formed a strong relationship. “Now that we all have an understanding of each other, things have really taken off for us,” Rousseau said of her coach. “I really love working with (Wyatt) and I think we work well together. We have everyone on the same page this year and it’s made the season feel so much smoother and less stressful.” The results have shown in Rousseau’s play. She already has recorded 1,121 assists, 385 kills, 286 digs, 145 aces and 134 blocks. She is likely to finish her senior year with career-highs in each category. “I believe that there are a ton of physical kids out there and I believe that there are a ton of really outstanding volleyball players out there, but I believe Alexa is a great combination of both,” Wyatt said. “She’s just really hitting on all cylinders. For a complete player at her position, I believe there is no one better in the state.” Along with Rousseau’s success, the Black Hawks are having a breakout 2019 season as a team. They won the OAA White championship this year and currently have a 36-9-1 record. Ranked No. 10 in our latest Division 1 rankings, Bloomfield Hills’ latest win was a five-set victory over 11th-ranked Ann Arbor Skyline on Tuesday. “I am really excited to see what we can do in districts, because I think we can make it far,” Rousseau said. “Ever since we started the season, our No. 1 goal was to win states. Every goal we put underneath it has been working toward that big goal. It’s really been a complete team effort this year and I know we have a lot left to give.” Rousseau may only have a handful of matches as a Black Hawk left, but her impact is sure to be felt for years to come. “Alexa is really making every single player on the roster better,” Wyatt said. “She’s shown great leadership in really working with everyone, including our freshman setter that we moved up. She’s been a great mentor for her. Obviously, she is able to make our hitters better by just setting the way she does and with the accuracy she has. We have really seen our hitters blossom this year. But, the mentoring she’s done for the younger players is something that is going to help the program after she’s gone. That’s something Alexa should be really proud of.”