By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  All the hard work, from the classroom work, the offseason work with the Silverton Bearcats and NPJ to go with the in-season work has finally paid off for South Salem’s Brooksie Isham as she signed her Letter of Intent to play Volleyball at the Air Force Academy Wednesday afternoon at the South Salem High School Library.

Getting into the Air Force Academy is no easy task in itself as Isham is still going through the process.  A process that started back in the Summer with the strict requirements that the Academy have to get on their Colorado Springs, Colorado campus.

“It’s been a long process, I started my application to the school in the middle of Summer and I still haven’t finished it yet.  I’ve had to do a ton of congressional nomination letters, I have to take a fitness test.  I have to take the SAT and the ACT, I have to do all of those things and I’m almost finished with it and finally putting it all together and getting that submitted will really be a great accomplishment for me,” Isham describes the process.  “It’s been a long and hard process, but it’ll be worth it.”

Isham fought back tears this afternoon while she thanked people who helped her get to this point along the way.  Friends, family, coaches, etc. All who had helped set her up for this moment going into her next chapter of her playing career in the Fall.

Isham points to playing with the 18’s team as a freshman with the Bearcats Club team in Silverton as an Outside Hitter and being able to play on the Varsity-level as a middle blocker to help set her up starting her High School career.  Pointing towards the two experiences as an opportunity to elevate her ability on the court with that consistent high-level of play she was exposed to from a young age.

Going into her senior year, Isham was asked to move back to Outside Hitter for High School ball where she received first-team All-Central Valley Conference honors and helped the Saxons reach the 6A State Sweet 16 before falling to State Runner-Up Jesuit.  Something that helped her get the ball rolling as Isham will play Outside Hitter in College and get that familiarity for the position going into the Academy.

And now with the club season coming up ahead of her, playing with NPJ’s 18 Forefront squad in Salem, Isham is hoping to use the opportunity for any last second preparations for College Volleyball.

“There’s a whole bunch of girls that are studs and there’s just a ton of people who are on that team who are really good.  Just being able to play with them and practice with them for this whole, upcoming club season, I’m super excited for it because I feel like it’ll prepare me for Air Force,” Isham said.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald