Coupeville Sports

Kyla Briscoe (bottom left) and some of her 7th grade CMS volleyball teammates. (Hope Lodell photo)

“Ever since I was little I wanted to be like my sister because she is so athletic. I strive to do my best and make my sister proud.”

In a town where multiple members of the same family wear the red and black of Wolf Nation, where brothers and sisters weave a fabric of athletic excellence that spills out over many years, that quote could have come from a lot of people.

This time it came from the lips of Kyla Briscoe, a seventh-grader at Coupeville Middle School and younger sister of 8th grade volleyball spiker Tiffany Briscoe. And while the pair haven’t reached the success level of the Bagby, King or Smith clans, yet, they are hot on the heels of emulating the achievements of other potent sister combos like Kacie and Katie Kiel.

While this past season was Kyla’s first time on the volleyball court, she’s a veteran on the gymnastic mat and is considering adding track to her repertoire now that she’s in middle school.

Like many of her volleyball teammates, her first season on the court was one full of learning and progress.

“I think what was the big highlight for the team was, when we started, we were not so good, but, at our first game, I think we stepped up three notches and played our hardest,” Briscoe said.

She has already begun to find where her strengths are, and the areas she would like to work on before attempting to play for Amy King’s 8th grade squad next season.

“I think I am very strong as a front row player,” Briscoe said. “I would like to work on middle back. My goal for next season is to be a better server than last year; I would like to have more upper arm strength.”

Backed by Tiffany and their parents, Richard and Amy Briscoe (“My parents and sister have made a HUGE impact on my life and they are so supportive of me!”), Kyla is your typical middle schooler (“I like to sleep, eat, be on Facebook…”) who plays sports for that most simple of reasons — she’s having fun.

Whether it’s sports or school, her ever-present smile is never too far off.

“I like volleyball because I get to actually interact with people and it’s just so much fun,” Briscoe said. “My favorite class would have to be P.E. — I love running around and being wild with my friends!”