THE GRAND OAKS VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM IS HOME TO A GENERATIONAL TALENT RECOGNIZED ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
Senior Jaela Auguste quite literally towers over the competition she faces on the court.
From the middle-blocker position, Auguste’s 6-foot frame makes it challenging for any opponent to get the ball over the net, making her the undisputed recipient for the Conroe ISD Most Valuable Blocker Award in 2022.
However, one of the more shocking things to learn about the Grand Oaks game-wrecker is the fact that she only just recently began competing in the sport.
“I started playing club volleyball when I was around 14, so I was already behind players in my age group,” said Auguste. “I had to do tons of private sessions, sometimes twice a day, to catch up with everyone.”
“Luckily, I’ve had some of the best coaches that really invested a lot of time in developing me. I fell in love with the sport...it’s my passion, and when you have passion for something, you’re willing to put in the hard work and dedication.”
Better late than never, now that she’s become one of the best in the business.
So much so that Auguste also competes with the USA U19 team and has garnered the attention of a top collegiate program at the University of Florida.
“I’m so excited about Florida,” she said. “I like that they have a strong middle offense and produce some of the best middles in the country. I’m also looking forward to playing under coach Mary Wise and her staff. I can’t wait to see how much my game improves when I get there.”
Given her upbringing, Auguste was almost destined to become a college athlete.
“I’ve grown up around sports and they’ve always been a part of my life,” said Auguste. “Both of my parents played collegiate sports, as well my grandparents, so I know it was in my future. Being a student-athlete has its challenges, especially with me being in track as well. But, I do my best to keep up.”
Auguste will fit right in at the Sunshine State, where she’ll get to keep the orange and blue color scheme.
But, she will first be tasked with leading the Grand Oaks team one last time as they seek to repeat as district champions, while aiming for a State Title.
“The team has worked really hard with their club teams this summer, and we’ll come back stronger,” Auguste said. “We lost a big chunk of players in the previous season, but we’re a competitive team and I want to help ensure that’s translated onto the court."
"We’ll be going in with a mindset of teams that we have to take down, and we’ll be working hard to accomplish that. It’s our senior year and we plan to go all out. It feels good to know that we have a strong group leading the team.”
Prepare for the grand finale to Auguste’s high school career and watching at the college level and beyond in years to come.