DASHER—Jenna Sykes has been a part of it all for Georgia Christian Lady Generals volleyball team. She has seen both the highs, and the lows.

The program began six years ago when Sykes was in the seventh grade. At the insisting of her mom, she went out to play volleyball for head coach Carrie Johnson. Though she did not want to play, she decided to give it a go.

She quickly fell in love with the sport and even began to play club volleyball the same year.

Fast forward to this year, she has just completed her last volleyball game as the lone senior for the Lady Generals.

Sykes has had an illustrious career with Coach Johnson and the Lady Generals, as she made All-State, All-Star and All-Region all four of her high school playing years.

She was also a pivotal part of the four years of playoff runs that the Lady Generals have had, including making it to the final four as a freshman.

Let’s not forget the record-breaking season of 2020 that saw the Lady Generals finish above .500 for the first time in program history.

That squad also won the region championship for the first time ever, as well as captured 10-wins for the first time ever.

While no team is made up of one player, Sykes was the unquestioned leader on and off the court.

To say that she is not one of the top volleyball players of all-time, if not the best one to ever come through the program, would be an injustice.

She wanted to make sure that she thanked everyone from her journey, showing her selflessness and care for those around her.

“I just want to thank my coach,” Sykes said. “She has been the best coach ever. She is an absolute role model to me. It has been a true joy of mine to have played for her and have shared all the memories that we have over the years.”

“I have also had the best family support that anyone can ask for. My family showed up at all of my games for club ball and school ball. It has just meant so much to me over the past few years. My mom has been the bookkeeper for the program throughout the years and I just cannot say enough about what she means to me and the program.”

“I would also like to thank the student section. Our classmates have always come out and supported us and that means a lot to each one of us that they want to be there for us.”

Certainly, a special young lady to thank those that have been a part of her journey.

“I have been asked often how I will replace Jenna next season,” head coach Carrie Johnson said. “Truth is, I can’t. Can someone have the talent that Jenna has? With hard work, I absolutely believe that it is possible. But it’s not just her skills that have made her the best player to come out of GCS. It’s also her heart, dedication and her leadership. She loves big—the game, her teammates and her family. She gives it everything she has. Even on the days where she does not feel at her best, she still steps up and leads the team.”

“She pushes her teammates to be their best selves. She has no idea how special she truly is, but I believe that is what makes her special. She began with me as one of my middle school volleyball babies in her seventh-grade year and now here we are, her senior year and we’re the region champions, in large part due to her. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Jenna’s life. I’m thankful for her family for sharing their little girl with me. I love her like one of my own.”

Sykes says that each year as soon as volleyball ends, she is excited for it to come back around again so that she can play once more. She stated that it will be a transition for her to no longer play for GCS, but she has enjoyed her time.

Sykes is also a member of the Lady Generals basketball team and she will be playing her senior year in that as well. She plays all over the hardwood but sees a great deal of time as a guard.

Sykes was also recently crowned the Homecoming Queen for Georgia Christian.

As Sykes makes her way to the end of her chapter at Georgia Christian, she states that she is likely to attend Faulkner University next fall and she is undecided if she will play volleyball in college.