Foreign exchange student earns volleyball honors
LINCOLN, Mich. — This season, the Alcona Tigers varsity volleyball team had a special edition to their team. Arianna Realis is a foreign exchange student from Turin, Italy. One of her biggest dreams growing up was visiting the United States. From living in a big city to living in a small town in Alcona County, Realis experienced a culture shock.
“It’s weird, I’m used to bigger cities and I grew up in a big city,” said Realis. “However, I really like the nature here.”
Before playing on the Alcona varsity volleyball team, Realis was playing club volleyball in Italy. She’s been playing the sport since she was six years old. Even though Realis has a lot of experience under her belt, head coach Kristi Miller and the Tigers were amazed on how talented she was on the court.
“When she stepped into the gym, it really raised the expectations for the team,” said Miller. “Everything she did was done with precision and excellence. She constantly wanted to improve.”
Arianna’s 2020 stats:Â
87% Serving Percentage
1,269 Assists
145 Digs
47 Kills
31 Aces
26 Blocks
For all the hard work Realis put in during the 2020 season, she earned all-conference (North Star League) and all-region honors. For Realis, they’re two awards she never saw coming. “She proved herself,” said Miller. “She brought a level of play that was awesome.”
