By Derrick Smith

There are people in each of our lives that influence us and help shape us into the person that we are or will become. Kahli O’Neal says that she has had a lot of people that have been role models for her, but she says that there have been a few that have made a bigger impact. 

“I have been blessed to have a lot of great people in my life,” she said. “My mom and dad have always supported me in volleyball and in life. My coaches have definitely helped me become the player I am today. Also, Mary Strawser. She works in the office at our school and I am thankful for her and the impact she has had on my life.”

O’Neal is a junior at Catoosa High School. She plays setter on the Lady Indians volleyball team, a sport which she has been playing for six years.

Kahli has made a lot of improvement over the years but says that it would not have happened if she was not willing to put in the work.

“For me to get better, it took a lot of hard work,” she said. “Also, I have had to constantly fight for a spot on the team. Being at practice is important, but also putting in the extra work outside of practice is just as important. The extra work is what separated players.”

During her career, O’Neal has made a lot of great memories with her teammates, both on and off the court. While she enjoys those, she says that her two favorite moments were personal achievements that she was able to reach.

“One of the biggest moments of my volleyball career was finding out I was going to start as a freshman,” Kahli said. “Another one was making All-Conference during my sophomore year. It was really great to see all of my hard work paying off.”

O’Neal is also a member of the National Honor Society and she takes concurrent classes at Tulsa Community College.