Sherwood's Alex Holston makes the most of a growth spurt on volleyball court

Earlier this year, Sherwood outside hitter Alex Holston grew four inches in five months and her jeans no longer fit. That was a time when she viewed her lean 6-foot frame as something of a curse.

On a volleyball court, however, Holston's long limbs are a blessing. The sophomore's 6-foot-4 wingspan and superior leaping ability - she can jump and touch the rim of a 10-foot basketball hoop - give her a distinct advantage for kills and allow her to sprawl out on the floor and make a save others couldn't reach.

At 15, she is already a standout, the leader of a young Sherwood team that's ranked 10th in the area.

"In terms of natural God-given ability, she has more talent than any kid in any public or private school in Montgomery County," said Magruder Coach Scott Zanni, whose team witnessed Holston's versatility (19 kills, 10 digs and 3 blocks) in a 3-0 loss on Sept. 24. "She can block, hit and play defense. There aren't a lot of kids who can play, set and play defense."

Holston's volleyball instincts were first formed when she tagged along with her older volleyball-playing cousins. Her size, however, likely can be traced back to her 5-10 mother and 6-3 father. Joe Holston, 52, was a standout guard from Dunbar who played college basketball at Tulane.

Her leaping ability improved thanks to track and field. All the running and jumping in training added four inches to her vertical leap, she said. As a freshman, Holston finished tied for tenth among Maryland 4A high jumpers with a 4-foot 10-inch jump in May.

With her range and versatility, Alex has the Warriors in prime position to contend for a region championship, which would be an improvement from last season's early playoff exit. The sophomore is a triple-threat, leading her team in kills (149) and blocks (32), and is second in digs (72).

"Alex, last year, was the type of player that you could count on when the ball came to her but she wasn't always demanding of the ball," Sherwood Coach Brian McCarty said. "But this year she has become more demanding of the ball. Whether in the back row or up at the net or in middle, she is stepping up a lot more."

Holston usually doesn't mind her height. She fits in around her family; her brother, Bo Holston, is a 6-4 junior forward at the Citadel.

"I mean sports-wise, I'm okay with it," Holston said. "It's fine because I like being tall. But sometimes it is hard and it's different because I am a girl and taller."

A proud father, Joe speaks enthusiastically about his daughter's ability and height - "she's really built like a model," he said. He hopes she grows another two inches, because he figures she would be even harder to stop on the court. He openly shares the dimensions of her wingspan - often to her slight embarrassment.

The only problem, Joe says, is that he can't remember what he fed her this summer to spark her growth spurt.

"I'd give her a couple more so I can get a couple more inches," he said with a laugh.