SOMETIMES, TAKING ONE STEP BACK CAN PUSH YOU TWO STEPS FORWARD.

Junior Carly Paugh helped lead the Willis Wildkats to their best season since moving up to Class 6A, reaching a play- in game for the postseason in 2022.

Coach Megan Storms challenged her entering her sophomore season, moving Paugh from her middle position to the outside.

“I grew up playing middle and I was a little surprised how well I was able to transition,” she said. “It was a big change, from my arm swing to playing back row. It made me a better player.”

She was rolling through her sophomore summer before injuring her knee, putting her on the bench as a spectator for much of the club season.

“It really gave me a different perspective,” she said. “I went from playing all the time to doing nothing
at all. It was an eye-opener for me and what I learned was that I was a pretty bad teammate before I was injured. I was all about myself.