Wolf junior Amanda Fabrizi (16) goes low to make a shot. (Shelli Trumbull photo)
Fabrizi launches a serve in a recent match. (Shelli Trumbull photo)
It’s not always easy being Fabrizi.
When you juggle two sports (volleyball and cheer) plus school, plus family and personal life, that can be a bit much. Even for a seasoned pro like Coupeville High School junior Amanda Fabrizi.
“This fall has been crazy,” Fabrizi said. “On the days when I have cheer practice, I go from school to volleyball to cheer. Mondays and Fridays, I usually try to do my schoolwork with the time I have between volleyball and cheer.
“As crazy as my schedule is, I still have a lot of personal time on the weekends, though.”
While her life might seem hectic to an outsider, Fabrizi wouldn’t have it any other way. She loves her sports (she picks up basketball and puts aside cheer in the winter), gets a lot of personal happiness from being on the court and said she couldn’t choose just one of them.
“I don’t have a favorite between volleyball and basketball. I love both of the sports so much and I have great coaches in both of the sports I play,” Fabrizi said. “I love the intensity in both of the sports.
“The support from my family and friends has the biggest impact on my life,” she added. “My family goes to every volleyball game, and my friends always hold a sign for me during my volleyball game!”
Sure enough, a quick look around at any game this season and it’s easy to spot Fabrizi’s personal cheer section, wildly waving their sign promoting #16, Mandy. When she lays out, sacrificing her body for a crucial dig to keep a rally alive for the Wolves, as she frequently does, her fans erupt.
The five-year volleyball vet is justifiably proud of her ability to do the dirty work, but wouldn’t mind fine-tuning a few of her skills enough to earn some more playing time at the glamor positions.
“What I enjoy most about volleyball is the feeling after getting an incredible dig!,” Fabrizi said. “I feel that I am strong at passing and digging up hits.
“I would like to work on hitting; I would love to become a stronger hitter,” she added. “My goals for the rest of the season are to become a stronger hitter, so I can get more back row attacks. For my senior year, my goals are to become a stronger passer so I can play libero again!”
The Wolf volleyball squad seems like an especially close squad this season, even to an outsider. They spend a great deal of time giggling amongst themselves on the court during matches, which promotes a sense of looseness and camaraderie.
After attending four matches in person, I have yet to see a single moment when one Wolf called out a teammate or yelled at them, which has happened on the other side of the court.
“As a team, some of our highlights this season were that we really came together as a team,” Fabrizi said. “We work well together and show a lot of teamwork on the court.”
Away from the court, Fabrizi is a fan of horror and comedy films, enjoys her yearbook class and loves spending time with her friends. She hails local basketball coaches David and Amy King as being especially helpful in her development as both an athlete and a young woman.
“They have really helped me become the person I am today,” Fabrizi said. “They have been very supportive and encouraging!”
So, successful three-sport athlete. Good student. Well-liked in the community, with a strong fan base. Maybe it is easy being Fabrizi.
