BHS standout named Gatorade Player of the Year … again

Maile Somera wins prestigious award for third straight year

Posted 1/17/19

Make it three in a row. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, Barrington High School senior Maile Somera was named Gatorade RI Volleyball Player of the Year for the third straight year. 

The award …

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BHS standout named Gatorade Player of the Year … again

Maile Somera wins prestigious award for third straight year

Posted

Make it three in a row. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, Barrington High School senior Maile Somera was named Gatorade RI Volleyball Player of the Year for the third straight year. 

The award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement, as well as stellar academic performance and exemplary character on and off the field. Coaches at Barrington High School and across the rest of the state say that Maile fills all those categories quite well.

"Maile is by far the best player in the state of Rhode Island,” said LaSalle Academy coach Nikolai Wojciechowski. “She is the best hitter, server and passer in the state, hands down.”

Maile helped lead her team to the Division I finals this year, coming up just short of winning the championship. In the Eagles' semifinal win over Cranston East, Maile led her team with 25 kills, five aces, 17 digs and three blocks. In a tough five-set loss to North Kingstown, Maile again played a key role in her team's success.

Maile, a 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter, slammed 474 kills and recorded 233 digs this past season, leading the Eagles to a 16-3 record.  Maile also tallied 57 service aces and 19 blocks while posting a kill percentage of .551 and a hitting percentage of .428. The three-time Division I Player of the Year, Maile concluded her high school volleyball career with 1,387 kills and 832 digs.

This fall, Maile reached a milestone, tallying the 1,000-career kills mark. Equally impressive is Maile's kill efficiency at .359 percent. 

Barrington High School girls volleyball coach Ron Enos said Maile is not just a great player, but also a great teammate.

"We're all very happy and proud of Maile, she truly deserves it!" said Coach Enos. "In addition to her tremendous skill sets and all the intangibles she possess, Maile has always been a great teammate. This year in particular as one of only two seniors on the team Maile showed great patience and support for her younger teammates. As an elite player, she could have easily gotten frustrated while the other girls progressed, but she never did, or at least never let it be known. I'm sure this must have been challenging given the competition in Division I.

"During the match it was like having an assistant coach on the floor. Maile was able to effectively communicate any tendencies of the opponent or adjustments her teammates could make to be more successful. In the huddle she often found the right words to encourage, console, or support someone that might need it. Her best attribute, by far, was that she would never hold any teammate accountable before first holding herself accountable, and for that she was revered and respected by those who played with her and coached her."

Maile is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award. 

In addition to being an excellent volleyball player, Maile is also a stellar student. She is a member of Barrington High School's debate club and environmental club, and has volunteered on a fund-raising campaign to benefit cancer research. 

The BHS senior has maintained a weighted 4.15 GPA in the classroom, and will attend Yale University in the fall. She will also play volleyball for Yale.

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Maile now has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing. She is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of 12 $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.

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