For years, sophomore Aubrey Dean and freshman Kinsey Dean weren’t able to play volleyball on the same team. One is always a grade above the other. This year, it changed. The sisters were finally able to play with each other. One cheers on the other one the sideline, while the other feeds off her energy. They reached historic school accomplishments, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1997, but most importantly, they were able to play together.
Aubrey was first introduced to volleyball when her cousin, who played in middle school at the time, practiced it one year at a family reunion.
“I like the fast pace in it,” Aubrey said. “But it was also a place where it wasn’t a sport where men took over like basketball or baseball. It was more of a women-prone sport where it felt more comfortable to be playing in.”
From there, her sister Kinsey picked volleyball up from her older sister.
“I got started when I was in fourth grade,” Kinsey said. “I saw [Aubrey] playing volleyball, and I [started], even though I had started basketball at the time.”
When it comes to playing volleyball together, Kinsey most enjoys watching Aubrey.
“It’s fun,” Kinsey said. “Watching my sister get better. Watching her have these amazing sets and just having a good mindset. It makes me more relaxed.”
Aubrey wasn’t surprised when Kinsey was made the varsity team this year. Aubrey credited the mindset both her and Kinsey have to the push their father gave them.
“We grew up with our dad kind of forcing the mindset on us like that,” Aubrey said. “Like nothing really phases you. This is always pushed. It’s just always been something [we] grew up around.”
Their mom, Shannon, loves watching them on the court and sees improvements all around.
“I love their confidence,” Shannon said. “They have both played for so many years and being on the court together makes them a force. It’s definitely made them respect each other more on the court and become closer off the court because they have a common goal they are working toward.”
Being sisters never stopped them from having arguments on the court where mentality comes into play, and where sisterhood and being teammates collide. Aubrey saw it as pushing her sister to be better. Because she plays club volleyball, Aubrey believes Kinsey can improve.
“In my view, I expect 10 times more out of her,” Aubrey said. “Because you play club [Texas Advantage Volleyball 14 Black] and you have more of a skill advantage than everybody else on this team in your position, so I’m going to want better passes than I’m actually getting from you.”
Kinsey felt like her sister was treating her too much like a sister. Not like a teammate.
“I told her, ‘I know we’re sisters, but at the same time when it comes to practice or to a game, you cannot treat me like you’re my sister,’” Kinsey said. “You have to treat me like everyone else.”
It was sometimes tough for them to keep the issues on the court and not at home, especially earlier in the season.
“We’ve had like one moment though, where we’re just like ‘You suck,’” Aubrey said. “Volleyball is a game of mistakes. You don’t get second chances. It’s a mental game, and it’s very hard to make a mistake, and then immediately go back and probably make more. It’s important to have a stronger mindset than that.”
The sisters differ on their mindsets when it comes to the “click.” When sisterhood goes out the window, and being teammates comes in.
“For me the whole [game] week is just no joking around,” Aubrey said. “It’s all hustle and practice. It kind of starts way before the game”
Kinsey doesn’t like to think about the game throughout the whole week. It happens before the game for her.
“The click happens before the game,” Kinsey said. “It’s not really during the week because I don’t really think about it that much. I need to fix my mindset. She’s my teammate. Sometimes it can be a bit stressful.”
Hoping to keep up with the progress, Aubrey and Kinsey both look beyond high school volleyball and look at playing at a collegiate level. But both have different tastes in colleges.
“It matters on the campus, but also the culture I’m around,” Aubrey said. “One college campus is beautiful, but I’m not going to fit in with their culture. But volleyball program wise, the University of Texas has a resilient team. I need to be around people who are like minded.”
Kinsey is not thinking much about what college she wants to go to, but she has one in mind.
“I’ve thought about what schools [to go to], but I haven’t thought deeply about it,” Kinsey said. “Like Texas Woman’s University. I thought about it a little bit. I like their campus and their library. But it’s not something I’ve been thinking terribly about.”
After college however, Kinsey is not exactly sure what career she wants to pursue after volleyball.
“I feel like the reason for me wanting to go into a [college] volleyball program is because I’m scared to do anything else outside of volleyball,” Kinsey said. “I’m already thinking about my future but not what I want my career to be. The only thing I could really come up with is becoming a coach, but also a teacher. But I’m really not sure because I’m scared.”
Aubrey already has an idea of what career path she wants to choose later on in life. It puts both of her interests together.
“I’m thinking about being a sports psychologist,” Aubrey said. “Therapists are very helpful; it’s some place you can feel comfortable in and just talk. It’s also targeted around young athletes and how to balance school, sports and home. But I also genuinely love helping kids.”
Aubrey isn’t opposed to going down a professional volleyball career, but she is more focused on other aspects of life.
“I’m just more focused on having my own separate life,” Aubrey said. “Like wanting to get married, wanting to have kids. That’s my peace. My peace is very much alone and comfortable.”
Kinsey finds the younger members of her family admiring her, as a motivational drive for her as a person and athlete.
“Knowing someone’s looking up to me and wanting to do what I do, makes me feel so great,” Kinsey said. “It makes me more confident. It pushes me to be a better person and a better athlete.”
