Harvard-Westlake’s Schultz Impresses With Play, Attitude

Whether it’s taking down the net after a match or filling teammates’ water bottles, Courtney Schultz of Harvard-Westlake High is far from a prima donna.

Schultz, a sophomore, obligingly pays her dues for being among the youngest players on the Wolverines. She’ll be the one delegating authority some day, but for now, Schultz, a top player on the top-ranked team in the region, is just as likely to lead the Wolverines in blocks as she is to collect the volleyballs.

“Me and the other freshmen from last year will always be known as freshmen, even when we’re seniors,” Schultz said. “It’ll be tough to break it.”

That’s doubtful.

Schultz was a vital part of the Sports Shack club that finished first out of 387 teams in the 16-and-under division of the Volleyball Festival at UC Davis.

Along with 6-foot-1 senior Kelly Ayers, the 6-foot Schultz gives the Wolverines a strong threat in the middle.

“She makes her presence known,” Harvard-Westlake Coach Jess Quiroz said. “[Opponents] have got to find her.”

Quiroz compares Schultz to former middle blocker Amanda Selby, who played for UCLA and California after graduating from Harvard-Westlake in 1995.

“She’s young. She’s a sophomore. She’s still learning the game,” Quiroz said.

“But she’s right on track to be as good, if not better, than Amanda Selby.”

Schultz shoulders the accolades with part awe, part inspiration.

“It’s kind of scary that I have expectations to live up to,” Schultz said. “Now I just have to find it within myself and live up to them.”

For a sophomore, she has seen her share of reality.

As part of her school community service duties this summer, she worked at a homeless shelter in Santa Monica, making packages of canned food and sorting clothes for homeless families.

“Every time anyone would go in there, you’d look at these people and everything they have or don’t have,” Schultz said. “I said, ‘Hey I’m kind of lucky, I should appreciate what I have.’

“You just want to change their lives more for the better. You do as much as you can.”

With three seasons of high school volleyball to play, Schultz will only improve.

Or as her father, Greg, said, “It’s just starting. She’s really just now kind of getting into it.”

*

As omens go, it wasn’t the best for Sylmar.

The Spartans were practicing on Monday in a half-lit gym, the result of a power outage at the school.

They soon found themselves in darkness because of a blackout.

“We couldn’t find all of our equipment or anything,” Sylmar Coach Bob Thomson said. “Kids couldn’t see in the locker room. They couldn’t see their locker combinations. Kids couldn’t go into the bathroom.

“Needless to say, it was kind of wild.”

The Spartans are used to strange gym conditions. Two years ago, while a new floor was being built, they practiced in an auditorium with low ceilings and a vinyl floor, perfect conditions for a kitchen, but not volleyball practice.

Now, with an important game next Thursday against Chatsworth, the Spartans had to cancel a day of practice because they couldn’t see.

“It’s never a dull moment here,” Thomson said.

*

Nancy Tinkham, who guided Flintridge Sacred Heart to Southern Section Division IV-AA championships in 1996 and ‘97, will not coach this season because of complications in her pregnancy.

Tinkham, who is 7 1/2 months pregnant, will continue to coach part-time from home.

Tinkham said assistant Kenji Mukai, who has taken over as interim coach, will drop off video tapes of matches to keep Tinkham updated.

Tinkham also plans to have players over on a weekly basis for team meetings and chalk talks.

“I just want to be involved as much as possible,” she said.

The due date of Tinkham’s child, a boy, is Nov. 18, a day before the Southern Section finals. And if the baby comes a little early?

“If I have a couple weeks to get used to the baby thing, maybe I’ll venture out and see a game,” Tinkham said. “It just really depends.”

*

Alex Gientke isn’t just a basketball player anymore.

Gientke, a Times’ All-Ventura County selection in girls’ basketball last season, was the most valuable player of the Ventura volleyball tournament Saturday.

Despite dedicating most of her summer to club basketball--she played an astounding 70 games--the 5-9 senior helped Ventura win its volleyball tournament for only the third time in nearly 25 years, Coach Gary Litten said.

The Cougars defeated Buena in the championship game, 15-12.

“Our team knows that she makes a difference,” Litten said of Gientke. “She’s a very good team leader, assertive but not egotistical.”

Gientke wasn’t the only player who stood out for Ventura, which beat Westlake, 15-9, in the semifinals. Samantha Waldron and Danielle Gomez were all-tournament selections.

Outside hitter Krystal McFarland played well for Buena, delivering 49 kills in 11 tournament games. Buena setter Janee Richards had 24 kills, 18 aces and 67 assists.