Brooklyn DeLeye is Trying to Become a Better Leader

Brooklyn DeLeye, right, won a second straight gold medal with USA Volleyball this summer. (USA Volleyball Photo)

Kentucky coach Craig Skinner knows playing for USA Volleyball helped sharpen junior All-American Brooklyn Delete’s skills but he also wanted her to be a better team leader this season both by example and by saying things at the right time to help younger players.

“Improving my leadership and vocal skills on the court, in timeouts or in the locker room is something I have been working on,” DeLeye said. “We talk a lot about winning a national championship and to do that I have to be a better leader.

“There’s always other stuff to work and improvement that can be made. I am not close to what I want to be as a player or reaching my full potential. I have really worked hard on  making my serve more consistent. That’s the thing I have struggled with the most. It’s high risk, high reward but I am gaining more and more confidence in my serve.”

Despite Kentucky’s normal difficult non-conference schedule that features some of the nation’s elite teams, DeLeye believes Kentucky will be one of the teams to beat when NCAA Tournament play starts.

“I really think this can be a special season. The Kentucky fans give us so much support and the least we can do for all those fans is make sure we are the best team possible and if we do that, I know we can be one of the teams to beat (for the national title).”

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Volleyball Fan Day on Saturday will start at 11 a.m. in Memorial Coliseum and consist of a Blue/White scrimmage followed by a signing and autograph session with all players and coaches after the scrimmage is over.