CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman High School’s Olivia Dover earned her diploma in May, and in this interview, she shared some of her favorite sports memories and discussed what it was like to be around so many great teammates, friends and coaches.
“For volleyball, my favorite memories were when we beat Mountain Brook at Regionals and going to state for the first time in our school history, and when we had a team camp at the beach last season, because we all just got to hang out together and have fun. For tennis, my favorite memories were when we won sectionals two years in a row and when we went to state my sophomore and junior years. I also loved beating Jasper every time me and my doubles partner, Karina, played them this season,” Dover said. “Being around so many great teammates and friends in both volleyball and tennis has been such a meaningful part of my high school experience. In volleyball, the team bond was everything. We relied on each other on every point, and that built a really strong sense of trust and connection. It taught me how to communicate, support others, and celebrate as a group. Tennis, while it was more of an individual sport, still had a great team atmosphere. We cheered each other on during matches and shared the same drive to improve. In both sports, I made amazing friendships, learned a lot about teamwork, and grew not just as an athlete, but as a person. I’m really thankful for those relationships and all the memories we created together.”
Olivia added,
“I could not have asked for better coaches. It was coach Amy Hudson’s first year coaching volleyball at Cullman, and she was definitely the piece we were missing. She really cared about us and wanted us to succeed in everything we did. She supported us through everything and was always there when we needed her. She pushed us to be the best and believed we could do things we never had done before, and we did. Coach Bates was my tennis coach for all five years of my career, and he was the person I always wanted to make proud. He was there with me through everything and believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. He taught me everything I needed to know about tennis, but he also taught me life lessons and what a true follower of Christ looked like. He was always supporting everybody and was kind to every person he saw. I’m so glad I had two amazing coaches to look up to. I learned how to play with confidence, step up and be a good leader, and push through when things got hard.”
Dover will remember so much from her playing days at Cullman and will deeply miss playing alongside her friends.
“I’ll definitely remember all the friendships and memories made during our time playing together, and all the inside jokes me and my teammates made together. I’ll miss getting to play with all of my friends and playing at home games when we had so many of our friends and families cheering so loud for us,” Dover said. “For volleyball, my favorite games were anytime we played Hartselle, because it was always so intense and exciting. For tennis, my favorite games were against Jasper, because of how good we always played, because we wanted to win so bad.”
She shared her favorite high school memories, and the amazing people and teachers she was around made Cullman a special place for her. She’ll miss being a Bearcat in August, and she shared some advice for the students that will be starting high school soon.
“My favorite high school memories were definitely all of the pep rallies and homecoming week,” she said. “What made Cullman a special place to go to were all of the amazing people that I got to meet and the teachers. I’ll remember all of the friendships and the memories we all made together, and I’ll miss seeing those people every day. My advice to them would be to enjoy every moment and participate in everything.”
Being a role model to the younger kids in and outside of sports was important to Olivia. She was in her fair share of clubs at Cullman and shared what that experience was like for her.
“Being a good role model to the younger kids is extremely important to me, because they watch every move you make, and notice not just your skills, but your attitude as well. They pay attention to how you carry yourself, and how hard you work to achieve your goals. I know there are multiple young girls that look up to me, and I try my very best to be the perfect role model they need,” she said. “I was in the SGA, Key Club, Leo Club, Interact Club, Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy, Citizen Promise, and FCCLA. My experience in those clubs was very good, because I got to be involved in all of my school’s events, and help out with everything. I also got to make a bunch of friendships from other people in the same clubs. I learned to step up and help others, and it taught me how to be a good leader.”
Olivia accepted a scholarship to Auburn University, and she loved everything about the campus during her visit there. God has played a huge role in her life as well, and she shared a couple of her favorite Bible verses.
“It was amazing. I loved the campus and everything about it,” she said. “God means so much to me. He’s the reason I am where I am today, and He has blessed my family and I so much. He is my firm foundation, and I trust Him with everything I do. My favorite verses are Isaiah 41:10 and Jeremiah 29:11. They mean a lot to me, because they are reminders that God is always with me, and He has a perfect plan for me. I want people to remember me for the way that I love Jesus, and for the way that I carry myself.”
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