East Rock's McNair plays with poise, confidence

ELKTON There were a number of different sports Alliyah McNair got into growing up, ranging from time on the softball diamond to a familiar spot on the hardwood shooting hoops.

But once she got introduced to the up-tempo pace of travel volleyball in her late middle-school years, she said her love for the sport grew almost as fast as the spikes she was slapping down.

Thats really when I started falling in love with the sport, the East Rockingham senior said.

I got to see a whole other side of volleyball that I hadnt seen because of the fast pace.

Ever since that day, Ive been nonstop in love with the sport and its just continued to grow every day.

McNair, a 6-foot-1 athlete who also plays tennis and runs track and field for the Eagles, has a reputation around the area as one of the regions premiere players in the sport of volleyball.

What makes the East Rock senior unique, however, is not just her ability to throw down powerful kills as an outside hitter but her ability to play nearly every role on the floor.

Thats kind of our team right now and thats what were having to fall back and rely on is Alliyah to do Alliyah things, ERHS head coach Jonathan Williams said in September.

McNair is the younger sister of former East Rock multi-sport standouts Jaylen and Tyce McNair.

Jaylen, a 2017 alum, played football and basketball, along with track, but shined on the gridiron, where he played four years at the Division II level and now coaches at Mercyhurst University.

Tyce, a 2020 ERHS graduate, played the same sports as Jaylen but found his calling on the court, where he is the schools all-time assist leader and played at James Madison for one season.

Growing up around those two, Alliyah McNair was determined to find her own sport.

It was really, really, really competitive, Alliyah said.

We competed in literally everything.

Coming into high school, they told me, OK, Alliyah.

Weve done this.

Its your time.

Lets see.

Im always really excited when I achieve something and theyre the first people I call.

Alliyahs mother, Michelle, played volleyball at Glenville State and was a setter.

While there, she met Alliyahs father, Tierre, who played football and is now an assistant at Turner Ashby High.

When she reflected on how versatile her game has gotten on the volleyball court over the years, she pointed back to some early words of wisdom from her dad that helped push them all.

Its tough, Alliyah said.

Based on the position you play, you change how fast you transition, how fast you approach, what youre doing.

Ever since I was little young, my dad always told us, If youre going to play, youre going to give your best at everything you can be on that court.

You want to stay on that court as long as possible.

From a very young age, whenever wed practice volleyball, Id ask my coaches, Can I get middle reps? Can I get passing reps? Can I get outside reps? Especially when [Turner Ashby head coach] Brandi Baylor became my [travel] coach, she definitely saw the potential I had as a setter.

Slowly, we just transitioned into the role.

I worked as hard as I can to make sure I can excel in any position that my team needs me to be.

East Rockingham's Alliyah McNair takes a shot against Harrisonburg.

Alison Hooke is a junior setter for the Eagles who has helped step up in that area on the floor.

But she admitted that knowing East Rock has a versatile weapon like McNair at its side throughout key moments of a close match is something the team doesnt take for granted.

Its a huge asset, Hooke said about McNairs role.

Whatever gap needs to be filled on the court, you know Alliyah can fill it.

She can do everything.

It really works out in our favor a lot.

Beyond just her ability to fill up the stat sheet on any given night for the Eagles, Hooke said it is the demeanor McNair plays with on the floor thats inspiring to so many people around her.

Even if shes not having the best night or the teams not having the best night, shes able to pick us all up and when were having a good night, shes there to cheer us on, McNair said.

The amount of confidence and ease she has when shes on the court, it is really comforting.

She has control of herself and she runs the floor.

...

You want to mock how she holds herself on the court.

Everyone looks up to her for not only her stats, but how she holds herself on and off the court.

Shes a big role model for a lot of people on the court and in school.

Shes amazing.

That new role for McNair is one she has slowly grown into over the last four seasons.

Someone who started as a soft-spoken freshman with a focus primarily on playing the outside hitter position has evolved into a versatile, do-it-all vocal leader for East Rockingham.

The thing that gets me up in the morning is I can make a difference and I can make a change in somebodys life, McNair said.

Ever since I was young, I wanted to be somebodys mentor someone they can look up to when they need to talk, someone who they know will listen.

Being able to be a leader and one of the voices on my team has been a great accomplishment.

McNair, who wants to become an ultrasound technician and will major in biology or health sciences in college, said she is close to deciding where shell continue her playing career.

After giving several different sports a try growing up, volleyball became her true love.

And as her decorated high school career comes to an end, it appears she made the right choice.

Every single time I step on the court, I tell myself to have fun, McNair said.

I pray for everyone to come off the court safely, but then I tell myself to have fun because this is going to be the last time I do this.

Whether we win or lose, I want to have fun and Im busting my butt and trying my hardest for my team, my coaches.

I know I need to be better for the people on the court and for the future of East Rock volleyball.

I want people to watch our games and fall in love with the game..

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