Athlete Profile: Tia Kroening

Bowler senior does a bit of everything

Bowler High School senior Tia Kroening does a little bit of everything for the volleyball team.

During the team’s 2-0 mark at a triangular on Oct. 9 in Phelps, Kroening posted five digs and four aces in the team’s win over Phelps.

Kroening totaled 12 digs, six attack kills and three aces in the team’s Central Wisconsin Conference-North Division match on Oct. 5 against Northland Lutheran. She posted four attack kills, four aces and four digs in a conference win over White Lake on Oct. 4.

Kroening recorded 12 digs and five aces in a loss to Gresham back on Oct. 1. The senior totaled seven attack kills, five digs and four aces in a victory over Tigerton on Sept. 14.

The Bowler senior tallied six digs, four kills and three aces back on Sept. 7 in a clash against Marion.

Q: When did your interest in volleyball begin?

A: My interest in volleyball began in sixth grade. When the season came around, I decided to play and I loved the sport ever since.

Q: What is your favorite part about the volleyball season?

A: My favorite part about this season is playing time. I love that I’m playing with my friends one last year.

Q: What has volleyball taught you over the years?

A: Volleyball has definitely taught me how to be a team leader. It really taught me how to be a good teammate, especially to the younger ones who start high school volleyball.

Q: Being a senior, how have you tried to help lead the team this fall?

A: I’ve helped try to lead the team by getting them hyped even when we’re losing so we don’t play worse. We all just have to pick each other up even when we’re in the worst moods.

Q: Do you have any individual goals you hope to accomplish by the end of the season?

A: I don’t have hops, so my goal is to at least get one block this season. And another goal I have is to jump serve by the end of the season. I’ve come close to getting a block but it hasn’t happened yet.

Q: In order for the team to have success down the stretch of the season, what needs to happen?

A: The team really needs to communicate more and need to have more confidence in themselves in order to have more wins.

Q: Do you have any rituals you go through before a volleyball match starts?

A: I have to get myself hyped before the game because otherwise I won’t have a good game. And by getting hyped, Bertina (Dodge) and I jam to City Girls. I also have to mentally prepare myself before the game.

Q: What’s your favorite memory of competing on the Bowler volleyball team?

A: My favorite memory was when I was at practice and I had my first pancake because I never could pancake a ball before.

Q: Favorite movie, TV show and music artist?

A: TV show — “Reservation Dogs,” “All American” and “On My Block.” Movie — “Friday.” Music artist — J. Cole and Polo G.

Q: Name one thing about yourself that not many people know.

A: I feel like everyone knows everything about me because I’m an open book.

Q: What’s the greatest piece of advice you have ever been told?

A: The best piece of advice that I heard was “chase your dreams even if they’re faster than you.”

Q: What are some things you hope to accomplish after graduating high school?

A: I hope to accomplish graduating college and being very successful in life.

AT A GLANCE

Athlete: Tia Kroening

Sport: Volleyball

Positions: Several

School: Bowler High School

Year: Senior