Haley Grace Waltman talks about her record-breaking senior season and what the future holds for her after setting a milestone that her head volleyball coach, Alex Dizon, believes could stand for quite some time.

Waltman was recently honored on Senior Night for Lindsay Lane for breaking the all-time kills record in a career for LLCA volleyball history.

Her ever-growing career kills record is currently at 1,228, and counting, as the season is still not over.

The record was previously held by Lindsey Holland, a close friend of Waltman’s.

She did not realize she was close to approaching the record, but when she finally did, it was something she set her mind to accomplishing during this season.

“I thought ‘wow, this is definitely a goal I can achieve,” she said.

While Holland is at Huntingdon College now, the record-setting outside hitter for LLCA still makes sure to find ways to stay in contact with her best friend in college.

“I tease her a little bit about it (breaking the record). It is all out of love, though. I love her and I look up to her,” Waltman said.

Holland is one example of many leaders Waltman has had come before her, paving the way to her own leadership as she is now a senior herself.

She has adopted other leadership styles of former LLCA players, as her role as a leader on the team continues grow and the regular season gets closer to its end.

“It has been a work in progress. There were amazing examples that came before me,” Waltman said. “I definitely picked up some (leadership skills). I have been trying to be more motivating to the younger players. To have close friends become leaders on the team, to being the leader on the team has been amazing and different.”

While Waltman achieved one of her goals in breaking Holland’s career kills record, one of her other goals she has is breaking Holland’s kills record for a single season, which still stands at 518.

Waltman has 393 kills on the season, as of Thursday, October 6.

However, a more important goal in the eyes of Waltman is not a personal one, but a team goal of bringing home a blue map this season.

“Throughout the year, you can really see that our chemistry is building,” she said. “It has been amazing and I love playing for my team.”

The Lady Lions’ pursuit of the state title includes a couple instances of coming very close to reaching it.

“It would mean so much. The past couple of years we have been so close,” Waltman said. “It is heavy on your heart when you get that close. Even though we moved to 2A, we can do it. Winning that would be more fun than (personal awards). Everyone can enjoy it.”

Her volleyball accomplishments for both personal and team-wise could also lead to possibilities at the next level, if that is where she is guided to next.

However, she is in no rush, as she has plenty of time.

“For volleyball, I have kept an open mind about playing in college,” she said. “If God leads me to that, I am going to pursue that.”

Regardless of if she goes on to play volleyball at the next level, Waltman says she plans on majoring in Biology at wherever she attends.

“The question is where,” she said.

Waltman said that Senior Night was a good moment for her to realize all the people who have helped her get to this point, breaking records and being a major factor in Lindsay Lane going undefeated in their area.

This included her parents, friends and coaches of past and present for school and for club.