Northern Revival is taking the AAU Volleyball scene by storm

On the court, you can catch eight 17-year-old young ladies doing their thing when it comes to volleyball in Northern Minnesota.

Northern Revival has only been established for two years, and they’ve brought a lot of experience with them. “My parents have been playing it ever since they first met; since I was born, I’ve been on the court and always around volleyball and just kind of stuck with it,” said Middle Hitter and Proctor High student Ella Walker.

Superior High School student and Libero/ Defensive Specialist Savanna Hering added how she got her first taste of the game. “I got involved with volleyball because of my parents. They actually grew up playing with Ella’s parents as well. My mom played in college, and then I have an older sister, and she played, and I kind of play did everything she did growing up; and here I am, I kind of just stuck with it.”

Six other ladies that attend school throughout the Northland also make up the team including Haylee Finckbone and Braya LaPlant (both attend Grand Rapids HS); Quin Danielson and Ava Carlson (both attend Cloquet); Kyra Johnson (Esko); Maija Hill (Mesabi East). The team is also coached by Kristen Walker and Rachel Hering.

They all come together to practice at least twice a week in Cotton at the old High School. Throughout its two years, the team has transitioned from year one to where they are now, and they are no little secret in the Minnesota volleyball scene.

“Last year was a great year. We started to put ourselves on the map and this year it’s a lot of us on the map and people going, Where are you guys from? Where is Cotton Minnesota? When we tell them? It’s just kind of fun,” Assistant Coach Rob Hering mentioned.

Northern Revival is wrapping up its season with their AAU National Championship tournament June 22nd-25th in Orlando Florida, with games starting on Thursday at 8 am, 10 am, and 1 pm.

Hering shared that they are currently ranked 93rd in national rankings, 3rd in Minnesota, and 4th in the Northern Country Region. “It’s just been these girls going down and dominating at these tournaments down in the Metro and the Rochester area is what is created it. It’s all on them; they are the ones that have done it.”

The team also boasts an impressive record of 55 wins and only 6 losses, and with a small group of girls, their team’s strength and chemistry go hand and hand. “If any of us is on ourselves, somebody is right there lifting us right back up no matter what. If somebody is having a tough game, we’re right there, right next to you. You got this, this is your game,” Walker shares.

With such a small group and ladies that are multi-sport athletes, this AAU team can pick the tournaments they play in but don’t get it wrong, Hering said that they go looking for competition every time.

“We’re not looking to go down and win. We want to, but we want to be competitive. We want to be pushed and tested, and figuring that out has been a lot of fun and then just deciding how far do we want to drive? I mean, we can go anywhere in the United States to play volleyball, but where do we want to go? And we want these girls can still have a life outside of the gym as well.”

Once their season ends, Northern Revival in conjunction with the Mesabi Range College Volleyball team will be hosting four summer camps in July. Click here for more information.