Both on and off the court, Jordynne Ales, a sophomore on the Plattsburgh State volleyball team, is always looking to help others.
Whether she is setting up her teammates and securing victories on the court, or studying hard to become a physical therapist, she will be there if and when you need assistance.
Ashley Hillman, Ales’ freshman year roommate and best friend, praised Ales’ caring nature.
“She’s very caring,” Hillman said. “Always looking to help others.”
This caring nature would explain why Ales is pursuing a career in physical therapy, attributing the desire to help others as her biggest motivator.
“My major is fitness and wellness, so I’m going to try to go into PT and help athletes come back from injuries or anything like that,” Ales said. “I think giving them a push and the extra encouragement will help them in an athletic way.”
To view more videos, visit our Multimedia page.This attitude toward helping others also seems to be genetic. Ales draws a lot of her inspiration from her brother, who is a firefighter.“My brother has been a great influence on me,” Ales said. “He’s always helping people so I really want to follow his path and help people in a way too.”
As a sophomore on a very young team, Ales is stepping into a much larger role on the court this season.
“She is a vital part of the team because she is the backdoor general,” Bluhm said. “Whereas the setters really control the offense, Jordan is our starting libero and will be helping the ball control on the defense.”
Ball control is a crucial part of the game of volleyball. Solid ball control allows a team to control their half of the court and execute more consistently. Bluhm explained how important Jordynne performing well in this position is to the team.
“Without ball control you aren’t going to be able to use your weapons, and without your weapons it is going to be tough to win,” Bluhm said. “She is going to play a giant role for us going forward. “She’s young, she’s ambitious, she wants to get better, and frankly she makes the players around her better.”
Part of stepping up and becoming a leader on a team is not just in the physical play, but also being a vocal leader. When Jordynne first arrived at PSUC she was more the quiet and timid type, but Bluhm believes that this year she is going to break out to be a vocal leader as well.
“She’s come out of her shell a bit when it comes to being more vocal,” Bluhm said. “That is definitely a good starting point for that position.”
When she’s not busy controlling the court against SUNYAC opponents and studying to keep up her dean’s list GPA, Jordynne enjoys utilizing the natural elements the Adirondack mountains have to offer.
“I take advantage of the Adirondacks,” Ales said. “Hiking, snowboarding and we go tent camping in the summer.”
It is already clear that Ales has made an impressive impact on her friends, coaches and teammates. While only time can tell what else she will leave her mark on, her kind heart, hard work ethic and constant drive to get better will definitely allow her to succeed in whatever endeavors she may encounter.
Email Bailey Carlin at sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
Congratulations. We are very proud of you. Aunt Fran and uncle Vinnie.