By GEORGE MAHL

RESERVE – East St. John High School volleyball player Christina Maguire is proud of her past and is looking forward to an even brighter future.

“I think I have gotten better each year I have been here,” said the junior middle blocker-hitter.

Maguire, who lives in Garyville, said when she first started playing volleyball at ESJ, she could not hit the ball over the net when she served.

“When I first started playing my freshman year, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is going to be hard,'” she said with a smile.

As a junior, she hit her stride and she is having her the best year of her career. Maguire comes from a family where she had two older sisters to look up to. Neither one of them were involved in extra-curricular activities.

“They used to wonder why I was playing volleyball. I just told them that it was better than doing nothing at all,” she said.

Maguire said she enjoys playing volleyball because it helps keep her in shape and is also a challenge. Even in her free time, the Lady Wildcats stand-out would rather practice the sport she loves most than do anything else.

“I think behind my family, this (volleyball) is the most important part of my life,” she said.

She believes the team is getting better with each passing game.

“If we keep working hard, then we’ll be capable of having more wins than losses this season,” Maguire said.

Outside of playing volleyball, Maguire enjoys playing softball and shopping.

“I think every girl my age enjoys shopping,” she said.

As far as the future goes, the middle blocker wants to be an attorney. She got the idea from watching a popular 80’s and 90’s TV show which starred Andy Griffith.

“I used to get up early in the morning to watch Matlock. I guess that is where I got the idea,” she said.

She plans to attend college at either Florida State University or the University of Michigan.

“When I was younger, I always wanted to go to Florida for some reason. As far as Michigan goes, I think its because they have a good football team and cool looking colors,” Maguire said with a laugh.