MaxPreps Weekly Honor Roll, presented by the United States Marine Corps: Rhett Robinson, Krum

Rhett Robinson knew she would have to step up as a senior.

The Krum (Texas) volleyball team lost seven seniors from last season, and Robinson was the only upperclassman who came out for this year's squad. Robinson, entering her fourth year starting, but her first as a six-rotation player, was going to have to be a leader.

Robinson, who is an outside hitter, was needed all over the court. And she's come through.

"My game has tremendously changed, because last year having seven seniors there wasn't really room to take leadership," Robinson said. "But now I'm the only senior and we have no juniors, so I'm with all freshmen and sophomores. I've really had to step up, take this position of being the leader and helping play as a team."

Robinson, who was named All-State last season, has really flourished in her role. The 17-year-old is leading her team in kills (629), kill percentage (.500), service aces (64), total blocks (113), digs (301) and service receptions (409) as of Oct. 25.

The best part of Robinson's game? It has to be her ability to pound down a kill.

When she goes up for a spike, look out.

She has registered over 1,200 kills in her illustrious four-year career.

"Her contact point is so high and powerful," Krum volleyball coach Lynn Larson said. "She's really hard to stop. There's not a lot of people that can't even dig her because the angle of her shot is so sharp."

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Since Robinson is Krum's go-to player, it's not uncommon for her to face double or triple teams when she's attempting to tally a kill. Always faced with working around blocks, her finesse game has greatly improved this season.

"I've never been much of a tipper actually, I usually just like to slam it," Robinson said. "This year, I've kind of had to work on that, tipping around the block."

At 6-foot, Robinson is lanky. She can stand flatfooted at the net, raise her hands up and clear the net.

"Unless there's someone who can match her height, she'll hit it over," Larson said. "That's one thing that makes her so good, she can hit it over."

Larson calls Robinson the best volleyball player in the team's region. Texas is comprised of four regions.

"I wouldn't be saying that if that wasn't true," Larson said. "Athletically, she's just so gifted."

Robinson doesn't worry about personal recognition on the court; she epitomizes a team player. She's helped all the young and varsity inexperienced players gel as a unit. The result: Krum won the district championship for the first time in program history.

That was a special feat for Robinson.

"To do something this big at our school, it means a lot," Robinson said. "I'm glad that we were able to leave our mark and I can go out of here saying, ‘Hey, we did that.' It's really exciting."

Along with competing on the high school team, Robinson plays club volleyball for North Point, which runs out of the University of North Texas. Robinson started playing on the team as a sophomore and one month into the season, she was offered a full-ride scholarship to North Texas.

"I was jaw-dropped," Robinson said. "I was like, ‘For real?' "
Robinson hadn't received any college offers up to that point, but many more came after that. She verbally committed to the Division I school in March 2015. In November, Robinson will be signing her National Letter of Intent.

Robinson, who has been named Krum's female Athlete of the Year the last two years, isn't just a one-sport star. She's also been a two-year starter as a guard/forward on the basketball team — averaging 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as a junior. As a track and field athlete, Robinson has been a regional qualify all three years of her high school career. She holds school records in the triple jump and 300 hurdles.

As a student, Robinson ranks No. 18 in her class, boasting a grade point average of over 3.8.

She is the vice president of the senior class for Student Council, a member of Family Career and Community Leaders of America, a founding member of the Key Club and the photo editor for the school's yearbook. All those school organizations keep her plenty busy.

"I'm growing as a person by being involved in as much as I can," said Robinson, who is thinking she'd like to become a counselor or therapist after college. She would like to help people with mental disorders.

"She wants to be involved in everything," Larson said. "She wants to be in the Spanish Club and she's on our service organization here in school. We were having a conversation the other night and she was like, ‘Coach, I don't have any friends. I just go home and stay home on the weekends. I'm always so busy and tired.' I'm like, ‘Rhett, that's a really good thing.' "

In her small community, Robinson enjoys getting out and volunteering her time. Last year, she coached a 12U volleyball team and helps the area's early education center with events. Robinson loves to go out during the holidays and make a difference in her community.

"This is my 25th year in coaching and I would say I've run across maybe one other girl like Rhett," Larson said. "She's a great kid — a very strong student. All her teachers like her. She really is one of a kind."

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