From Saint to Tiger: Samarah Hill prepares for LSU | Observer Preps

There’s a lot that races through the mind of an athlete before taking their respective stage.

The old adage of mentality in sports being just as important as the physical act rings true for all athletes, including Trinity Prep senior Samarah Hill.

That’s why — for her — games start days before she even hits the volleyball court alongside her teammates.

The preparation comes in multiple forms — repetition, film, you name it — but nothing gets her more ready than simply taking the time to mentally see herself taking the court by storm. Oh, and there is the music aspect — can’t forget the tunes.

“I usually can envision myself of how I hope to play; not during classes, but throughout the day, I’ll just take time to envision what I’m going to do during the game,” Hill said. “Sometimes, we come out before the game, play some music and get hyped as a team.”

Lately, the music of choice has been rappers such as GlokkNine and Lil Wayne that help fuel the volleyball team prior to games. And if records are proof, the pre-game formula has worked.

At 18-7 (3-1 in district), Hill helped push the Saints through another solid season for the last time in her high-school career. Since arriving at Trinity Prep from Hagerty her sophomore year, Hall’s two years as a Saint have been incredibly productive — despite the anxiousness that came early in her career at her new school.

Recalling her first game — a matchup with Seminole — Hill said there was a lot going through her head. Which makes sense — she was the fresh face around new teammates and new coaches.

“I was just really nervous — I didn’t want to play badly, especially because at that point, everyone knew I was committed, and I was nervous that people were going to think, ‘Oh she is committed, but she’s not very good,’” Hill said. “So I wanted to make sure that I played up to my highest standard, so I can live up to those expectations.”

The nerves never showed on the court. Hill went off in her debut — racking up a team high 18 kills, two aces and seven digs.

“I have a lot of people who look up to me, and I take that into account when I play — I want to make them proud, so that really helps fire me up to play better. I feed off of that energy. It’s special.”

— Samarah Hill

From there, Hill made herself at home at Trinity Prep and as a leader on the court. Now, instead of looking for guidance from upperclassmen, Hill is that player to whom her teammates turn for inspiration and advice.

“I have a lot of people who look up to me, and I take that into account when I play — I want to make them proud, so that really helps fire me up to play better,” Hill said. “I feed off of that energy. It’s special.”

Being a leader for this Saints squad is a two-pronged thing for Hill. On one hand, the mild-tempered leader helps her side as a role model, acting as a mentor. On the other, it’s also about the numbers you can put up to help your team.

In 63 sets played at the outside hitter position, Hill owns team highs in multiple categories — including kills (400) and blocks (42), while also holding a team fifth-best in aces (12) and third in digs (327).

Although the stats have racked up for Hill, her senior season officially came to a close in a 3-2 loss to The First Academy in the district semifinal on Oct. 16 — a bittersweet moment, she said.

“I’ll definitely miss the relationships I have with the girls, and I’ll also miss the relationship I have with the coaches,” Hill said. “I’ll miss Coach (Terri) Kruczek yelling at me a lot — just pushing me harder and harder. I’ll just miss the whole volleyball environment.”

Luckily for Hill, the end of the Saints’ season won’t be the end of her volleyball career.

During her sophomore year at Hagerty, Hill was offered a scholarship to play volleyball at Louisiana State University.

Although there are quite a few differences between the high-school and collegiate levels, getting to Baton Rouge and wearing the purple and gold of the Bayou Bengals is a chance to further herself even more, she said.

“I’m definitely blessed to get the opportunity to play — I mean, that’s huge, and I have great support from everyone,” Hill said. “I’m definitely going to have to work a lot harder. I’m going to be pushed.”