Barrington's Szuszkiewicz reaches great heights

At 5-foot-8, Olivia Szuszkiewicz doesn't exactly feature the height one would expect of a volleyball player who can dominate a match at times.

“I would give anything to be taller but you get what life throws at you,” said the Barrington senior. “When I'm going up to hit a ball, I never think about my height because I don't see it as something that holds me back.”

Instead, Szuszkiewicz uses it to drive forward.

“It propels me to work harder,” she said. “Being on the shorter side makes me want to jump higher and faster than the people around me, and I'm OK with that because I know I can find a way to succeed.”

Szuszkiewicz sure proved that this season.

Not only did her girls volleyball team win its first Mid-Suburban League championship since 2006, Szuszkiewicz was front and center in paving the way.

The senior outside hitter excelled in all phases of the game and earned the title of honorary captain for the 2011 Cook County Daily Herald All-Area girls volleyball team.

“My height is something that always seems to baffle people because it's uncommon to see a 5-foot-8 outside hitter be successful at the net,” said Szuszkiewicz, who defied the odds by putting down 208 kills.

But that's just part of her game.

The MSL West Player of the Year also scooped up 310 digs, served 32 aces, collected 23 blocks and had a 2.21 serve receive score.

“Olivia has been the glue that holds our team together all season,” said Barrington coach Rob Ridenour. “She is our most vocal leader on the court and inspires confidence in her teammates.

“Whether it's an important pass, dig, or kill, her all-around skill set is tremendous as she can help us be successful in a number of ways.”

Szuszkiewicz's first digs, passes and kills were produced at Barrington Station Middle School when she was 12 years old.

“My best friend (Marissa Krzysko) wanted to try out for the volleyball team and I just tagged along thinking it would be a fun experience together,” Szuszkiewicz recalled. “We both ended up making the team.”

Szuszkiewicz started out playing as a middle blocker and eventually moved to an outside hitter her freshman year in high school.

“I honestly think that if Marissa hadn't planted the seed of volleyball in my head, I never would have started playing in the first place,” Szuszkiewicz said.

Olivia's father Witold was always the active, athletic type and started playing volleyball while he was a teenager in Poland.

“He could really jump high and played defense really well,” Olivia said. “A club opened in the small town (Katy Wroclawskie) where he lived in and that really helped skill-wise.”

Eventually, he was recruited into the Polish Army.

But that did not stop his game. While he was enlisted, it was discovered that he had some talent for volleyball.

So instead of spending the afternoons at the military base, he would take the train to the volleyball club that wanted him to play.

Olivia is still not certain where she will play in college.

“My whole family was born in Poland except for my siblings and me,” she said. “It makes me the guinea pig when it comes time to talk about college since I would be the first to attend a university as well.

“I would love to play in college because playing volleyball really does make me happy. All that adrenaline running through my veins really does make me feel good. I love everything to do with volleyball.”

Her love really grew when she decided to play club after completing her freshman year.

“Luckily for me, that was the year that Sports Elite Volleyball Club in Lake Barrington opened, which was only 10 minutes away from where I live,” she said. “It was like a sign that I should pursue the sport.”

The first two years, the club was directed by John Wierzbicki.

“Those first two years I learned more about volleyball than ever before and I honestly can't thank (Wierzbicki) enough.” Szuszkiewicz said. “If it was not for him I would not be the volleyball player I am today.

“He taught me how to pass, set, and hit volleyballs. He taught me to ‘remember the details' and always pushed me to work harder in every drill and exercise.”

Szuszkiewicz (3.9 grade-point average) has always worked hard in the classroom, too.

She is a member of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society and has been an honor student the last three years.

She has been a Barrington High School summer camp assistant coach, freshman advisory mentor, middle school Snowflake Leader (group to promote a drug/alcohol free life), physical education leader and Academic Resource Center tutor.

Suffice it to say, she likes to be a team player.

Just as she does in volleyball.

“My favorite part about volleyball is that it is a team sport,” Szuszkiewicz said. “The beauty of playing a team sport is that it all relies on individuals doing their part in order to succeed together.

“It has taught me the importance of working to the best of my ability and to never give up. It has taught me to believe in the people around me and to always find the brighter side of the situation. Playing volleyball has also taught me to be the naturally born leader both on and off the court.”

Ridenour has seen that all season.

“She makes everyone around her better,” he said. “She is probably our most durable player.

“Olivia made quite a bit of progress between last season and this. Especially from a ball-control standpoint where she has done a great job. She is a dynamic player with a good arm swing. She can hit all the right spots. That's the key to being successful at her size.”