Woodland's Fair, Adna's Bond ready to make a big impact for Lady Devils volleyball
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 7:01 PM PDT
By Rick McCorkle
Printable version
E-mail this articleA pair of 5-foot-6 outside hitters will fill holes at libero and on defense this fall after inking volleyball letters of intent at Lower Columbia College.
Rachael Fair and Tarin Bond each come from successful prep programs. At Woodland High School, Fair helped her team to a berth in the Class 2A state tournament while earning all-Greater St. Helens 2A League accolades. Bond is a standout from Adna who was named to the all-Central 2B League team while leading the Pirates to their second-ever trip to the Class 2B state tourney.
Fair has earned a reputation as a fearless defensive specialist who isn’t afraid to dive for loose balls. Bond plays solid defense in addition to possessing a lethal serving touch.
Although the Woodland graduate was tempted to join the military, she chose to fight battles on the volleyball court instead.
“I was going to join the Army, but Coach (Marcy) Gilchrist really wanted me to play,” Fair said. “I wasn’t really sure about the Army, so I decided to come to Lower Columbia and further my education.”
Fair had been accepted to the University of Portland with a $40,000 scholarship, but she was unable to come up with the remainder of the tuition.
The university’s loss turns out to be LCC’s gain. Fair’s hustle and determination in open-gym sessions has impressed Gilchrist.
“Rachael plays defense without fear and is amazing in her pursuit of the ball,” she said. “I’ve seen her slam into folding chairs and dive into the bleachers. She does whatever it takes to keep the ball from hitting the ground, and comes off the floor with a smile on her face and jogs back to her position.”
Fair admits she prefers playing defense instead of lining up in the front row.
“I like playing in the back row, because it’s fun to dig up something that is hit to you instead of having a ball swatted back at your face,” she said. “I don’t like to lose, so I’m always on the ground trying to save the ball. I’ll never give up on my team.”
Fair is interested in either nursing or business and accounting as a career.
“I participated in Running Start, so a lot of my pre-requisites are already out of the way,” she said. “I know that studying nursing and playing volleyball will be hard, but I hope to take the easier classes in the fall during the volleyball season when I’m also trying to work.”
Bond, who was also recruited by Bellevue College, is a Cowlitz Volleyball Club veteran who was also a defensive specialist for the 18 Blues team. Her versatility helped the Adna program, coached by her mother, Wendie Bond, reach state for the second time since 2002.
“Tarin comes from a strong high school program, and she blossomed into an outstanding defensive player as a senior,” Gilchrist said. “Playing club volleyball has benefitted her because she’s more accurate with her passing and has great defensive pursuit. Tarin is also one of the toughest servers on the team because her ball moves and drops like I’ve never seen before. She can either serve it at stealth speed or she can drop it over the net.”
Bond was invited to play in the 23rd annual All-State Series, where she showcased her defensive talents while playing with some of the state’s best prep players.
“I played libero in the All-State Series and our team won in four games,” she said. “It was a lot of fun and a great experience. I have a lot of fun playing defense.”
Bond also plays summer softball as a first baseman and designated hitter, and was a member of the Impact team that earned a berth in the 18-U “A” National Championships.
“I didn’t go with the team to nationals because I had to work and play volleyball,” she said. “I like both sports, but I prefer volleyball a little more. I thought about trying out for the LCC softball team, but they already have a lot of talented players.”
Bond aspires to earn a degree as an X-ray technician, and hopes to eventually begin her career in the Vancouver area.
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