Homecoming: a spirit-filled week when AHS students can take part in dress days, build a float to represent their class, cheer loud for the Trojans and, of course, dance their worries away at the annual Saturday night dance. Unfortunately, Sidney Svoboda did a little more than that. Svoboda actually sprained one of her ankles while participating in the familiar dance to the song “Cotton-Eye Joe.” “It happened to be volleyball season and I was playing on two sprained ankles,” Svoboda said.

During high school, Svoboda has been involved in volleyball since her freshman year and seen many great things happen in the program. In particular, Svoboda said her senior year really stuck out to her because the team “surpassed” all of their goals and started to win more games during the season. “I’m glad to be part of the team that started turning around Trojan Volleyball,” Svoboda said.

When she isn’t on the court, Svoboda likes to take volleyball coach and English teacher Emma Bireline’s dog, Rudy, out for walks. “I have no pets but Rudy is pretty much part of our family,” Svoboda said. Joining Svoboda and Rudy in the family are her parents Scott and Sheila and her two older siblings Shelby and Skyler. Svoboda said her mom has had the most impact on her life. “She has always taught me to be the bigger person even in tough situations when you don’t want to be the bigger person.”

In the future, Svoboda plans to study occupational therapy even though when she was a child her plan was completely different. “This might sound cliché, but when I was younger I wanted to be an astronaut or a veterinarian. I’m not even sure why I wanted to be a vet because when I was younger I was afraid of dogs,” Svoboda said.

As Svoboda moves on from high school and continues with her life, she will remember what her mom always says to her: “Do better when you know better.”