The Morgan County volleyball team is accustomed to having successful seasons due to the amount of athletes they have on its side of the net, year-in-and-year-out.
The Spike Dogs went a perfect 12-0 in Region 4-AAA last year, but with a third of their players graduating, the team’s younger classes have had to step up.
They already seem to have found an up-and-coming leader in sophomore Quinn Butler.
The 5-foot-8 outside hitter has been playing for Morgan County ever since the early days of middle school, but in just five short years, has become a dominant player in one of the state’s most dynamic programs in Class AAA.
Spike Dogs’ head coach Kat Goodwin remembers seeing Butler play at a young age and being able to identify her love for the game.
Butler’s love for the game stems from her competitive spirit.
Whether it’s powering a ball past defenders or laying out for a pancake, she has been able to remain versatile at all levels of the game up to this point.
Her father, Tim Butler, can see how that competitive spirit helps her excel in everything she puts her mind to.
“Quinn growing up was a great kid. She could make you laugh, and she could make you cry,” Tim said. “But she’s super competitive which is a trait I think runs in the family. She has excelled in all sports, and has been very good academically, [as well as] spending time with her teammates.”
As one of the young leaders in the Spike Dogs’ locker room, Butler makes it a point to always spend time with her teammates so they are all on the same page, on and off the court.
One of her best friends, Allie Cox, hasn’t known Butler long, but feels as though they’ve already developed a close bond.
“I haven’t played a long time with Quinn.
Probably only since last year, but we have really connected, and I’m very proud to play with her,” Cox said. “I think we just move well together, I don’t know, it’s very hard to explain. It’s just that we connect well on the court.” Their close relationship has shown on the varsity level up to this point, six games into the 2022 season.
Butler currently leads the Spike Dogs in aces with three, and Cox is right behind her with two; however, Cox has a slightly higher amount of aces per set than Butler does.
Butler is also ranked highly in other statistical categories like digs, kills and hitting percentage among other players on the Spike Dogs’ roster.
She’s second on the team in digs and kills with 17 and 12, respectively, and is also third on the team in hitting percentage.
Her volleyball experience also extends to the club level where Butler is a member of the Metro 15 Black travel volleyball team. Her coach, Julianna Hoekwater, believes it will be her great work ethic that will carry her far.
“Quinn as a player is very passionate for the game and is always hardworking,” Hoekwater said. “I never have to tell her to give me 110 percent, because I already know she is giving me the 110 percent. She’s a very smart player and knowledgeable about the game.”
Aside from the court, Butler approaches every day pretty much the same. On a game day, she likes to start her day with eggs and toast for breakfast and then jams out to pop music on the way to the match.
The consistency of a routine helps her play, which in her own words, is intense.
“I would say ‘intense’ is a good one word to [describe my game],” Quinn said. “The back-and-forth play, and trying to stay focused during a long rally just makes it to where you have to be dialed in and ready to go.”
Moving forward, Butler is excited for big Class AAA matchups against schools like Oconee County and Sandy Creek.
After her career with the Spike Dogs, she eventually wants to play at the next level, wherever that may take her.
“The first time I saw her play was actually as an eighth-grader, and I was at a middle school match,” Goodwin said. “She has shown love for volleyball and leadership, even from then, and last year she was on our JV court with the invitation to play up on varsity, and she impressed us from day One.”