Mexico didn’t win its volleyball home opener on Sept. 10 but had plenty of reasons to be proud.
Those reasons were the first responders and veterans honored on First Responders Night on …
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Mexico didn’t win its volleyball home opener on Sept. 10 but had plenty of reasons to be proud.
Those reasons were the first responders and veterans honored on First Responders Night on Gary Filbert Court when the Lady Bulldogs lost in four sets (14-25. 28-26, 14-25, 13-25) to North Callaway.
One night before the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Mexico took time before the varsity match to recognize all of the work first responders do in the area and around the country. The team also asked military veterans to stand up to be applauded and thanked for their service. However, the Lady Bulldogs didn’t have to look far for a first responder.
Brooke Smithee, who is a senior and key part of Mexico’s back row, also does her part helping out in the community with Little Dixie Fire Protection District — a rural volunteer organization. Smithee said her duties are vast.
“We respond to a whole bunch of medical emergencies such as vehicle accidents, house fires and vehicle fires,” Smithee said. “We come out in the community and do a whole bunch of community outreach stuff. We’re at the tractor pulls, we’re at the derbies and we’re at the football games as well.”
Smithee said the lowest age allowed at Little Dixie is 14 years old, but that’s only if someone has a parent in the district. Otherwise, she said the minimum age is 16 years old because volunteers need to be able to drive.
In Smithee’s case, she was able to join sooner because she has a stepfather in the district as well as a grandfather and aunts and uncles. This family affair was Smithee’s motivation to take that first step in being a first responder.
“We all are also on Audrain Ambulance (District) as well,” Smithee said. “My stepdad is an (Emergency Medical Technician). My grandfather was an EMT and then retired. It’s definitely a family thing.”
In fact, Smithee said she is in the middle of acquiring her EMT license. The Audrain Ambulance District website states that “if the student is under the age of 18, they must get parental consent for the course and be 18 years of age upon licensure.”
Smithee said she and her fellow first responders are “pretty much everywhere,” and head coach Tami Sells is proud to have someone like her on the Lady Bulldogs.
“We dedicated today for first responders and military personnel and veterans,” Sells said. “We thought this would be a good time to honor them. That was exciting. It was really cool to see our girls excited to play for some of their heroes.”
On Sept. 10 against North Callaway (3-2), Smithee and Averee Hamption each finished with four digs, Ava Herron had six digs and two service aces, Julia Goerne had nine digs, Claire Isgrig finished with four kills, and Charley Jackson recorded three kills. In a five-set loss (20-25, 21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 8-15) on Thursday for Mexico (0-5) at Marshall (2-4, 1-2 NCMC), Isgrig led with 16 digs, 14 assists and 12 kills; Goerne had 21 digs, 16 assists and 10 kills; and Herron finished with 20 digs.
