LAPLACE — St. Charles Catholic junior Anna Guidry’s passion for athletics lies in the discipline it takes to compete in a sport and the camaraderie that connects teammates.

Guidry competes year-round, diving into swimming, volleyball and soccer, but her favorite sport fluctuates with each season.

She’s currently invested in volleyball, a sport she first picked up as a fifth grader at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School.

In weekday practice sessions, Guidry is improving her hitting, jump serve and passing from the middle hitter position.

“Whenever a sport comes around, it becomes my favorite,” Guidry said. “I just like doing things with other people and encouraging the whole team all together.”

Head coach Meghan Ericksen said Guidry is a team player who continuously works to improve her game.

“She doesn’t hold in errors, if she makes them, and she always asks how she can make a play better,” Ericksen said. “She has a great attitude on and off the court and is making a name for herself on the team.”

Guidry’s blocking skills have developed nicely through pre-season practices, according to Ericksen, and hitting remains her greatest strength.

This year’s volleyball squad is young, encompassing only three returning seniors. Guidry said a junior-laden support will help navigate early season challenges, and she expects the Lady Comets will end the year knowing how to effectively communicate with teammates.

Seniors aren’t the only ones who have a voice in team decisions, according to Guidry.

“I would like to be a leader myself,” she said, adding that goal is best accomplished by becoming a role model.

“Instead of making everyone else be what you want them to be, you can start with making yourself who you want to be.”

With each sports season, Guidry strives to give her best effort with no regrets.

She’ll stay busy swimming throughout the volleyball season with a goal to return to the LHSAA Division III State Swimming championship. Last school year, she advanced to finals in the girls 200 yard free relay.

By next spring, Guidry will return to a midfielder position in soccer.

During the 2018 season, she helped the Lady Comets navigate a comeback, ending in the second round of the playoffs.

Guidry plans to pursue a career in health and fitness following high school. She can picture herself working as a physical therapist, helping people recuperate from injury and surgery.

“Playing sports teaches you a lot about yourself, about your body and how to take care of it,” she said.

Guidry is the daughter of Leon Guidry and the late Courtney Guidry of LaPlace.

(Editor’s note: This story has been edited since first publishing to correctly reflect Anna Guidry’s parents.)