Buckeye Tales of Sisterhood 2: St. Ursula Waleskowski magic

With the family genes, it was a matter of time sisters [player_tooltip player_id='480820' first='Lola' last='Waleskowski'], a junior, and [player_tooltip player_id='582200' first='Lucy' last='Waleskowski'], a freshman, took the court together at St. Ursula in Cincinnati. That happened this past season with Lucy (Number 4) often setting up Lola (10). Lola plays outside and right side hitter with Lucy also taking swings from the right side.   While some struggle living in the shadows of successful parents at the same school, Lola and Lucy are thriving in it. Their mom is 1999 St. Ursula graduate Chrissy Donovan Waleskowski, who was a multi-sport standout for the Bulldogs scoring 1,114 in her all-Ohio basketball career. She played on the varsity volleyball team for three years when St. Ursula won the fourth through sixth of six straight Ohio Division II state championships. She played defensive specialist her junior year and all six rotations her senior year in 1998. One of her teammates was current St. Ursula head coach Gretchen Krumdieck.   Donovan Waleskowski wound up going to the University of Dayton for basketball and met husband Keith, who also played basketball at UD. The couple also has a son Donovan that is a 6-5 freshman guard at NAIA Holy Cross College in South Bend, Indiana. He graduated from St. Xavier in the fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='480820' first='Lola' last='Waleskowski'] played a big role in helping the Bulldogs go 23-4 and capture the 2024 Division II state championship as a sophomore. St. Ursula finished 17-9 this past fall and drove to the Division I region title game.   The two talked about life growing up playing volleyball together among other items.   Growing up Together   Lola: Growing up we were never able to be on the same volleyball team due to our age gap, but we always were in the gym together getting reps. It's super nice because I am a hitter and Lucy is a setter. Everything just sets up for a perfect lesson together! We always loved to pepper on the driveway in our free time, and even drew lines to make a short court to play mini games!   Lucy: When Lola first started playing volleyball, I was very jealous so why not hop in with the older girls!! My mom would coach her teams so I got to go to all the practices and join in.  Growing up playing volleyball with and against each other has made us both the biggest supporters for each other.  People that don't know us think we are twins, but obviously we aren't! We do have the twin intuition that knows what each other are going to do or say next.   On Hard Work it takes to Succeed   Lola: To be successful, you always have to have the mindset of trying to get better. Whether that is getting reps in the gym or even just reflecting on a game, it all helps in the end. Also just adapting to changes, whether that is with new teammates, new positions, or a new coach, trusting the process and engaging in the game will take you so far!   Lucy: The kind of work that goes into my success is hard work on and off of the court. We work out at a very high level gym (All Star Performance) where they are pushing us every time to become stronger, faster, and more versatile. When we aren't lifting weights, we try to go to GA's gym and work on what we need to work on.   St. Ursula Legacy   Lola: One thing about me is I have never been afraid to be myself and when it comes to volleyball that is no different. I always do the best I can, on the court and in the classroom, to show everyone that I am capable of big things and am able to handle pressure in ways that some can't. I want to leave my mark as someone that took care of their teammates, got the work done, and never stopped playing hard.   Lucy: I have thought about leaving my mark at SUA by being known as a leader. I still have 3 years to do what I need for SUA and to make the program stay strong. I think seeing my moms success at SUA makes me want to work harder and leave my name all over the gym walls just like she did   Pre-Game Superstitions   Lola: I do not have any pre-game superstitions but I prefer to have my hair in a ponytail or a slicked back style out of my face. I also wear my dirtier kneepad on my right knee! Lastly, I like to keep a snack on the bench just in case I need a little boost of energy!   Lucy: I don't have many pre-game superstitions. However, I love a pack of fruit snacks or a fruit bar before we go on the court to warm up. I also like to get a good stretch in and get mentally prepared for the game.   Resolving Conflicts   Lola: I always try to keep conflict to a minimum, no matter the situation, but when it becomes a problem, addressing the teammate in a constructive criticism sort of way. Not trying to tear them down, but making them aware of the issue so they can try to change it. Oftentimes people don't realize that they are causing some sort of conflict and just have to be made aware of the issue so they can fix it.   Lucy: When conflicts come up, I try to not be one-sided and see both sides and get the team to talk about it. Both my NKYVC and SUAVB teams are really good at talking things out. Luckily we have not had too much conflict on either team. Everyone seems to get along great and everyone has the same goals, so we are all in together.   Facing club, high school teammates during various seasons   Lola: To face this challenge, I always try to mix up my shots, so if one of the people I know told them something, they won't see it coming. Also when you continue to mix up shots, it is hard to tell where the ball will go. This means that they have to be ready for anything even if I'm “not good at it."   Lucy: When we come across familiar faces, I like to tell my team the knowledge I have based on the player. I bet the other team does the same for me, but they don't know what I have been working on. I like to adjust some things and do the unexpected when playing familiar faces so they don't know what is coming.   Club Season Improvements   Lola: I am really trying to improve my serve receive and tooling off the block. I am always looking to get better in serve receive and at NKYVC we focus a lot on that, so getting feedback from all the coaches is super helpful. Tooling off the block is one of my favorite things to do and it is super hard to defend, making it a great way to score points! That is why I want to get even better at it!   Lucy: This club season, I am trying to improve my court awareness and versatility of setting and hitting. I want to become more dominant on both the right and left side hitting and get to know both spots the best I can. I also want to become stronger in my setting and try to remain unreadable to the defense so my hitters can get open shots/holes in blocks.   Life in the GGCL   Lola: The GGCL is one of the toughest divisions and if being in it was a choice, I would choose it every time. We get great competition and every game is nail-biter. You never know who could come out on top. Playing in the GGCL is one of the best opportunities I have ever gotten. Everyone is always playing their hardest and no matter who is on the other side of the net, you are playing to win.   Lucy: In the GCCL, every game is hard, no matter who you are playing. Every point, set, and match matter. Coach Gretchen and our AD do a great job of getting good competition before GGCL to prepare us for league play.  Quite honestly, I like having the challenge of GGCL because every game you have to be ready to perform and I love that feeling.   Playing in Open Club Division   Lola: Playing in the Open Division is something we have always done at NKYVC, so when it came to high school season, I made the adjustment quicker than some others. Now it was not at all easy because we play against the best of the best in Cincinnati, but playing the best teams in the country helps to get used to seeing big-time players making great plays. Most of the girls in the GGCL are competing in the Open Divisions at tournaments, so everyone is used to the fast paced and high intensity games.   Lucy: Playing Open is getting us ready for all kinds of success. The pace is very fast which makes us have to think a bit faster. It is helping me prepare for the varsity game by taking what I learned and helping my team do the same.   Winning State in 2024   Lola: Life back when we won state was an all-time high. There was so much school spirit and support from everyone connected to SUA. Coming back from being down and reverse sweeping to win in the finals makes the whole story even better! To get back to this point in Division I, I feel we need to stay focused on our goal, and do the little things to get better everyday. This could be staying engaged in the workout room after practice, or even just taking a little bit of time everyday to stretch and take care of ourselves so we can stay healthy and in good shape for the whole season.   St. Ursula Balance:   Lola: Being a part of a team that works together to accomplish our goals makes being a part of it so much better. No one is ever put under pressure that they need to do something. We all trust each other and that is one of the best things a team can do. Volleyball is a team sport and no one should feel like they have to carry the weight of the game on their shoulders. That is why at SUA we treat each other as sisters, so we can continue our bond on and off the court, working to push each other to get better everyday.   Adjusting to Upperclassmen as Setter   Lucy: I am lucky since Lola was already playing varsity the past two years so I got to know the team by going to games and watching how they lead on the court. The upperclassmen welcomed me with open arms and took me right under their wings. When I saw them in the halls the first week of school, they said hi to me every time and treated me like family. We had such amazing upperclassmen that they took all the pressure on their shoulders to make the transition easier for me. As for setting them, I was lucky because setting is easier when you have players that hit and adjust as well as they do. They make a setter's job a little easier.   Versatility   Lucy: Being able to hit and set definitely puts me at an advantage because I constantly think about what the other setter might be thinking and so forth. I try to take that into account while I am hitting and blocking. The wonderful part of being at SUA is we have so many players that can fill positions so if Coach needs me to hit, I can but if the team needs me to set, we have plenty of other hitters to take my place. Its a great problem to have.   Notes from Mom and Dad   As parents, we are most proud of how both girls carry themselves on and off the court. They treat teammates, coaches, opponents and referees with respect, and are just happy to be able to play the game. They know how to win with grace and lose with dignity.  Their off-the court personalities are so different, yet they get along so well.  They make our jobs as parents seem relatively easy.  It has been a blessing to watch both our daughters grow up and become great volleyball players, but more importantly wonderful young women.  The icing on the cake was seeing them on the court together this past fall for St Ursula. Our hearts were full to see their big smiles to be able to play with one another. - Mom and Dad (Chrissy and Keith Waleskowski)   Club Coach Evaluations    Lola makes coaching easy. She is extremely coachable and versatile. She's the best teammate, the reason for being voted captain, and she truly supports each and every player. She's been a pleasure to coach the last couple of months as she is passionate, works extremely hard, and continues to be a leader on the court, vocally and physically.   NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami Head Coach Brooke Logan     Lucy stands out as an exceptional volleyball player, showcasing her dual-threat capabilities with both her setting and hitting skills. Her ability to seamlessly transition between these two roles not only makes her a formidable opponent, but also a crucial asset to her team. With an incredibly high volleyball IQ, Lucy adeptly dissects the opposing team's strategies, anticipating their moves and adapting her game accordingly. This keen insight enables her to orchestrate plays that lead her team to victory, earning her respect and admiration on the court.   NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami Head Coach Tyler Collins    Note from the Writer   Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for two years and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. 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With the family genes, it was a matter of time sisters Lola Waleskowski Lola Waleskowski 6'1" | OH/RS St. Ursula-Cincinnati | 2027 State OH , a junior, and Lucy Waleskowski Lucy Waleskowski 6'0" | S/OH St. Ursula-Cincinnati | 2029 State OH , a freshman, took the court together at St. Ursula in Cincinnati. That happened this past season with Lucy (Number 4) often setting up Lola (10). Lola plays outside and right side hitter with Lucy also taking swings from the right side.