UP FRONT R.I. teen athlete says it loud: She loves volleyball!

BY ROBERT ISENBERG

For Ellie Vest, a big dream is about to come true: The 15-year-old volleyball player will fly to Argentina in December to compete in the Pan American Maccabi Games.

THIS EDITION of the so-called Jewish Olympics is expected to draw 3,500 participants from more than 20 countries. Ellie, who is about to start her sophomore year at East Providence High School, played with several Rhode Island volleyball teams before being invited to compete in the Maccabi Games by the games’ U.S. volleyball coach.

During a recent interview, Ellie spoke about how much volleyball means to her and her plans for Buenos Aires.

How did you first discover volleyball?

I first got into volleyball at the end of quarantine, the summer before eighth grade. I was living on Block Island at the time, and they have a really big beach volleyball culture. I was on the beach, interacting with a ton of people there, and it seemed really interesting and fun and a great way to meet people, so I decided to start learning. My mom emailed the coach of the women’s volleyball team at the school on Block Island, and he was the first to ever teach me how to play volleyball.

What do you like about the sport?

I think volleyball is a great way to build team culture, and you just get a really unique friendship and a bond with your teammates. Because you have to com- municate all the time – if you don’t communicate, it’s not going to go well – so you have to build a really strong relationship, which I think with some sports, you’re not really able to do that as much. You can make really great friends just through playing the sport.

How have you evolved as a player?

Being consistent with playing and working out at the JCC [the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center] has just really helped me improve. I think it’s also really easy to improve when you really love what you’re doing. So, usually I would play almost every day or go work out at the JCC, maybe two or three times a week during the school year. During the summer, I would be playing six days a week, doing camps and just training on my own.

What’s your training regimen?

My training specific to volleyball is kind of a balance between lifting weights and cardio and eating. During most of my workouts, I weight-lift and then I do cardio after, which is definitely a big part of being in shape to play. I would say I don’t have a very strict diet. I am pretty plant-based; I’m not a vegetarian, but I do eat a