As her senior volleyball season comes to a close, Lila Howe reflects on her journey thus far as a female athlete at City High the past four years. Howe is one of six starters on City High’s varsity volleyball team, as well as a team captain. Howe has been playing volleyball since she was ten years old, currently specializing in defense.
After four years at City High, Howe says her favorite part about her Little Hawk team is “the people and the environment”.
“We have a really good culture that we’ve made through the years, and I always feel supported. It’s really fun when big points are scored because everyone’s cheering really loud,” Howe said.
Howe understands the ups and downs of being a female athlete. A challenge Howe has personally faced is being “mentally tough.” During her junior season, Howe faced a newfound pressure after being appointed a varsity starter.
“Volleyball is a really big mental sport, and it’s really easy to get in your head. I mean, you have a lot of time to think in between plays. So if you make a mistake, it can be really hard to get yourself out of a hole that you’re in. My junior year, I was having a really tough time getting out of my head. And then through my club season, I kind of let all that go and just started playing again, like I normally did. And this year, my senior year has been super fun, because I’ve just been able to really lock in on the game instead of everything that’s going on around me, and just perform under pressure a lot better.”
Many female athletes have dealt with variations of mental blocks and struggles throughout their athletic careers. According to the NCAA, female athletes are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to male athletes, with nearly 30% of female athletes indicating mental health challenges.
Howe has found comfort in one of her coaches, Karen Meyer, who understands the mental toll sports can have on a young female, as she played volleyball at the collegiate level.
“Her passion for the sport is unreal. She makes me feel so supported every day and so confident in everything that I do, and I really appreciate her.”
Confidence is a crucial factor to success for Howe. She believes that her teammates are a big reason she can stay grounded and calm, especially during the pressure in the few seconds before a play. The City volleyball team has also installed meditation as a key ritual before games, which Howe believes is helpful to not only herself, but her teammates as well.
The stress on women’s sports has increased with the rising numbers of fans in the past few years. Howe says she’s grateful for the constant support from City High fans. Howe also recognizes and appreciates the recent increase in media coverage for women’s sports. Online streaming of women’s volleyball events increased by 50% from 2022 to 2024, with platforms dedicating more resources to live coverage and highlight reels.
“It’s really special to me, because I think that there are a lot of very talented women, especially in this school. There’s been so much talent that has come through [City] and I think it’s really awesome that people have shown so much support,” Howe added.
